Don Tuite wrote:
On 30 Aug 2007 05:00:02 GMT, Allen Smith
wrote:

Hey guys,
I am a presolo guy, about 11 hours now and getting close to solo.
While studying tonight I couldn\'t really figure out the difference
between magnetic/true course and magnetic/true bearing.

So as far as I understand it, bearing is a referenced heading to
somewhere you want to go, for example: I am flying on heading of 060
heading and to and the VOR is on a 090 bearing (Heading of 090
required to fly direct)

Course is an intended flight line, so if I plan to fly from a to b
(with a heading of 090 to b) My course throughout the flight would
be 090, even if I am 30 miles off course, the course would be 090
while the bearing would change, correct?

Can somebody give me easy examples to understand? My next flight
lesson is scheduled for next week...

Thanks guys!

Crudely, your bearing is what your compass says at any given time.
Your course is your track over the ground. If there is a wind aloft
that is not directly in line with your course, the two will be
different.

No, this is magnetic heading.


Going from wherever you are to a VOR at point b, the course you have
to fly is what the line on your chart says, or what the Omni Bearing
Selector (OBS) on your VOR head says when the needle is centered and
the flag says TO. Bearing is the compass direction you point the nose
of the airplane in to keep the needle centered.

No it is not.


Just to make your brain hurt, courses and bearings are relative to
magnetic North, while the Winds Aloft forecasts (which you might use
for dead reckoning) give wind direction in terms of the place in the
sky the winds appear to be coming FROM -- in terms of true North.

This is fairly simple stuff when you're sitting at a desk, but it can
be confusing when you're stressed because somebody moved the landmarks
while you weren't looking, or the airplane is bouncing around and
making funny noises, etc. That's why it's good to practice stuff like
wind triangles and dead reckoning on the ground a lot -- to give your
brain some familiar things to latch onto later on -- even if it seems
during your cross countries like all you're ever going to need to do
is follow the magenta line on your GPS.

Yes, simple, but you still got it wrong.

Matt