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Henry74 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
Heading vs bearing
Hello,
I've never given much thought about the difference between heading and bearing, thinking that they were somewhat interchangeable when used to express your own course.
In view of my possibly buying a flight simulator, I've recently started to read up on all the things I have to know to fly the thing.
Here's a flight instructor explaining the principles of NDB [Non Directional Beacon] navigation.
"The Single-Needle Radio Magnetic Indicator is an instrument that combines radio and magnetic information to provide continuous heading, bearing and radial information.
[...] The indicator's compass is a directional gyro and so it rotates automatically as the aircraft turns. Thus it always accurately indicates the magnetic heading of the aircraft as well as the magnetic bearing to the beacon.
[Picture shown] The instrument here presents the following information: aircraft heading is 345°, and the magnetic bearing to the beacon is 060° – the yellow needle.
[...] ADF orientation [the instrument briefly described above] is much simpler than VOR orientation. With an RMI the head of the needle always indicates the bearing to the station. Simply turn the heading under the arrow head to fly towards the beacon.
[...] Good exercises to develop NDB awareness are Time and Distance Checks. Tune in an NDB station, [...] note the bearing to the station and the time. The fly a constant heading until the bearing changes 10°."
From what I understand, heading is your direction relative to the earth whereas bearing is your direction relative to a given object, in this case a beacon.
Do you confirm my interpretation of the words? Are you familiar with it, or is it too technical a distinction?
Thank you
H.
I've never given much thought about the difference between heading and bearing, thinking that they were somewhat interchangeable when used to express your own course.
In view of my possibly buying a flight simulator, I've recently started to read up on all the things I have to know to fly the thing.
Here's a flight instructor explaining the principles of NDB [Non Directional Beacon] navigation.
"The Single-Needle Radio Magnetic Indicator is an instrument that combines radio and magnetic information to provide continuous heading, bearing and radial information.
[...] The indicator's compass is a directional gyro and so it rotates automatically as the aircraft turns. Thus it always accurately indicates the magnetic heading of the aircraft as well as the magnetic bearing to the beacon.
[Picture shown] The instrument here presents the following information: aircraft heading is 345°, and the magnetic bearing to the beacon is 060° – the yellow needle.
[...] ADF orientation [the instrument briefly described above] is much simpler than VOR orientation. With an RMI the head of the needle always indicates the bearing to the station. Simply turn the heading under the arrow head to fly towards the beacon.
[...] Good exercises to develop NDB awareness are Time and Distance Checks. Tune in an NDB station, [...] note the bearing to the station and the time. The fly a constant heading until the bearing changes 10°."
From what I understand, heading is your direction relative to the earth whereas bearing is your direction relative to a given object, in this case a beacon.
Do you confirm my interpretation of the words? Are you familiar with it, or is it too technical a distinction?
Thank you
H.
Top answer
Henry74 is it too technical a distinction? It is in aeronautics. For the layman (me ), they are synonymous.
- Henry74 is it too technical a distinction?
- It is in aeronautics.
- For the layman (me ), they are synonymous.
- Heading 4.
- the compass direction toward which a traveler or vehicle is or should be moving; course.
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7 Answers
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Henry74 is it too technical a distinction?It is in aeronautics. For the layman (me ), they are synonymous.
Heading
4. the compass direction toward which a traveler or vehicle is or should be moving; course.
6.Aeronautics. the angle between the axis from front to rear of an aircraft and some reference line, as magnetic north.
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Mister MicawberFor the layman (me ), they are synonymous.OK. Thanks.
H.
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Heading is the direction the plane's nose is pointing. Bearing is the direction to the beacon (or other point) relative to the heading.
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Blue Jayrelative to the headingI don't understand why relative to the heading.
If at a given point my bearing to the beacon is 060°, like in one of my example above, that's a compass reading, it's not relative to my course. It would still be 060° regardless of the course that brought me to that given point.
H.
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There are two types of bearing, and I misread the description in your post.
Relative bearing is as I described.
Magnetic bearing is the compass direction to the beacon.
Relative bearing is as I described.
Magnetic bearing is the compass direction to the beacon.
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Blue Jay I misread the descriptionI don't think you did. It used the words "Thus it always accurately indicates the magnetic heading of the aircraft as well as the magnetic bearing to the beacon."
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