Re: Homing verses Tracking

From: John Bell (johnbell.nospam_at_cfl.rr.com)
Date: 09/21/04 

Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 19:29:34 GMT

> but since homing/tracking is an IFR exercise, why post anywhere other than
> rec.aviation.ifr?
>
> Bob Gardner

Bob,

I have read the some of the complaints about cross posting and debated
whether or not to do it. However, I decided that it was appropriate. In
fact, I am not sure that I didn't leave some appropriate groups out in my
cross posting.

Homing can happen if you steer towards a point without properly correcting
for a cross current, as I am sure you understand. Where I will disagree
with you is that it is exclusively an IFR exercise (Instrument Flying
Regulations for the non-aviation cross-posting of my response). While
trying to use an ADF (Automatic Direction Finder) is one of the more common
examples, there are many other cases. One case is steering to a point
visually whether flying or boating. This can also happen when steering a
heading as indicated by a GPS bearing, whether in an airplane or boat. Thus
the case of homing verses tracking is not limited to IFR flying at all.

Anyway, I had never seen any numbers as to just how much one can get off
course with homing, so I spent a little time with Excel for my own curiosity
and thought that I would post it to my site (
http://www.cockpitgps.com/other_articles/homing/homing_cross_track_error.htm
 ) and share it on the newsgroups where I thought people might find it
interesting and relevant to the nature of the newsgroup.

John Bell
www.cockpitgps.com

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