Navigation question

Hey guys, I've just been through the navigation training mission and during it the instructor tells me to set a course of 270 for WP 4. It doesn't tell me where it gets the course info from So, where do you get the information for the correct course for a given WP?

You can set the course by turning the dial on the lower right corner of the HSi. It says: "Course set" on top of the dial. You will see the numbers change in the top right corner of the HSi as you turn the dial. The HSi gives you the correct course to take. When you aligned the bars in the middle of the HS you are on course. I just use the lines on the TAD to make sure I am on course though. Just make sure your plane is following the line to the way point on your TAD and you are on the right course.

You can set the course by turning the dial on the lower right corner of the HSi. It says: "Course set" on top of the dial. You will see the numbers change in the top right corner of the HSi as you turn the dial. The HSi gives you the correct course to take. When you aligned the bars in the middle of the HS you are on course. I just use the lines on the TAD to make sure I am on course though. Just make sure your plane is following the line to the way point on your TAD and you are on the right course.

I think his question is 'how do you know the course is 270 degrees?' not 'how is it set in the HSI?'. I don't know if there's a way other than looking at your TAD and guessing. This is something I've wondered myself.

You are right, that is my question. I suppose you could guess, but I thought such a sophisticated piece of military hardware wouldn't leave the pilot to take a guess. Perhaps there's an answer in the manual somewheres.

CDU NAV / Attributes Sub-Page

manual page 229

From TO1-A-10C-1

HSI display

When the active steering mode is DIRECT or TO TO, this field displays DIAL HSI TO

CRS: XXX.X, where XXX.X is the heading to which the course should be set using the

HSI COURSE SET knob. When the active steering mode is TO FROM or while in SCS

mode, this field displays HSI SET AT CRS: XXXX, where XXXX is the heading the

course arrow was set to using the HSI COURSE SET knob. If the HSI selected magnetic

course is undefined, this field displays "****".

Gerry Abbott (FISH) does a brilliant job with all of his tutorials. The navigation videos are no exception. I believe there are 4 parts. I HIGHLY suggest viewing them all.

Nice, thank you both :thumbup:

Basic navigation can all happen inside the HSI along with the CDU waypoints being properly loaded into the system. You look at the waypoint arrow on the HSI to estimate your bearing to the waypoint and then decide on a course to it. Flying that course is as easy as turning to intercept a radial from it. Basically you're flying until the waypoint arrow on the HSI points at your desired course, in this case 270 then fly on 270 towards the waypoint. If you wanted to be precise you'd set the Couse Deviation Indicator to the desired course using the Course knob and then the CDI will tell you to an arbitrary (and selectable in the CDU) degree how close you are to being on that course towards that waypoint.

All this, which is basically the heart of the answer to OP's question, is excellently covered in that fourth link of Fish's tuts. 35 minutes on the CDI and the related concepts. Couldn't ask for much more.