Andrew Sarangan wrote:

No, it is not just a reminder, it is a tremendous aid in interpretation.
Reverse sensing is all in your head.

Amusing combination of text, as the OBS only helps in this context if the
heading isn't [still] in your head. Yes, the information provided is
important. But - at least in my experience - it's already in memory.

What I don't understand is why nobody has yet mentioned wind correction in
this thread. When flying a localizer, I'll typically have some amount of
crab in place. Thus, my DG should read something different from the track
of the approach (and the OBS). If the needle starts to drift (and assuming
I've maintained my intended heading {8^), I'll correct that intended
heading one way or the other.

So while the plate may tell me to fly 223, I may flying 230. Tempting it is
to put 230 in the OBS, as that's not written anywhere. But that's too much
futzing (esp. as it is a dynamic value), so I just live with the need to
remember.

- Andrew