Bob Moore wrote:
Andrew Sarangan wrote
So what instrument would you suggest we use for true headings?

Airliners have had 'true heading' available from their INS for
many years.

GPS does not give you true heading; it can only give a true course.

But isn't it 'true course' that I really want to fly? That line
that I drew on the chart? No more correcting for wind, variation
or deviation, just plot and fly true course. Someday it will happen.


Actually, I have never worried about accounting for wind correction,
variation or deviation. I plot the course on a computer, estimate a
heading and then during flight I fiddle with the heading until the
ground track agrees with the plotted course. It makes very little
difference whether the plotted course was in true or magnetic. If there
is an absolute reference for your system, either one should work the
same. With magnetic, we have the compass as the absolute reference.
With true direction, it is not that easy. I don't know enough about INS
systems or how they are used as an absolute reference, but those are
not within the reach of most GA pilots. So, I still don't agree that
navigation systems have advanced to the point where we can abandon the
magnetic based instruments.