"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
Why don't pilots do approximate bearings like that? The only thing I've
seen close to that is when ATC will give you an approximate heading to a
VOR a long way away and say "fly 200 degrees, then direct ETX when able".

They do.

For nearly a half-century or longer(?) USAF and (probably) USN pilots have
been taught to go direct to intersections and TACAN radial/DME fixes using a
similar method. It's done routinely. I'm suprised some stick acutator
hasn't mentioned that fact yet.

There's also the "Hey Nav, gimmie a heading" method ;-)

For controllers it's all about separation.

If in radar coverage "direct" is no problem.

In non-radar "direct" does not allow the aircraft's position and route to be
easily fixed sufficient to determine the protected airspace necessary for
lateral and longitudinal. So all that's left is vertical and you quickly
run out of altitudes.