I understand that when a controller gives you a heading to fly, they expect you to fly a magnetic heading. So, other than the legality of complying with the ATC instruction, is there any real benefit to flying headings instead of magnetic track in a GPS equipped aircraft? I can't think of any.
For example, on an instrument approach, let's say the course to fly from the approach fix to the missed approach point is 002 degrees. The autopilot is going to fly a 002 degree course (track) regardless of the aircraft heading necessary to fly the correct track. If you hand fly the approach, it would be much easier to just fly the 002 degree track on the EFIS (or the GPS display) than crab into the wind with a guessed at heading, and adjusting based on keeping the localizer centered, as was done in the pre-GPS days.
When flying to any waypoint, again, it is much easier to just fly the required magnetic track to that waypoint or destination.
Let's say the missed approach instructions for an instrument approach say to fly the runway heading until reaching a certain altitude. Again, it makes much more sense to me to fly the runway track from the GPS or the EFIS display, than fly the runway heading.
In summary, I can't think of one advantage to fly a magnetic heading instead of a magnetic track, other than legally complying with a controller's instructions. Is the whole idea of flying magnetic headings in GPS equipped aircraft obsolete in reality, again, except for he legal implications of following a controllers instruction?
Thanks...just looking to learn something here.
Curt
For example, on an instrument approach, let's say the course to fly from the approach fix to the missed approach point is 002 degrees. The autopilot is going to fly a 002 degree course (track) regardless of the aircraft heading necessary to fly the correct track. If you hand fly the approach, it would be much easier to just fly the 002 degree track on the EFIS (or the GPS display) than crab into the wind with a guessed at heading, and adjusting based on keeping the localizer centered, as was done in the pre-GPS days.
When flying to any waypoint, again, it is much easier to just fly the required magnetic track to that waypoint or destination.
Let's say the missed approach instructions for an instrument approach say to fly the runway heading until reaching a certain altitude. Again, it makes much more sense to me to fly the runway track from the GPS or the EFIS display, than fly the runway heading.
In summary, I can't think of one advantage to fly a magnetic heading instead of a magnetic track, other than legally complying with a controller's instructions. Is the whole idea of flying magnetic headings in GPS equipped aircraft obsolete in reality, again, except for he legal implications of following a controllers instruction?
Thanks...just looking to learn something here.
Curt