North Up vs. Track Up

[Polar742]

Actually I lie.

The Embraers ran HEADING up with a track carret. I liked that alot.

I haven't used the Boeing TRACK up format outside the sim. We'll see how I like it (not that it really matters since that's the deal) when it's windy outside.

 

[Velocipede]

Track up on EFIS airplanes.

 

[Douglas]

So what is easiest should determine which mode of an avionics suite is should be used? Regardless of the situation?

As a former navigator I am glad I am done shooting 3 star fixes. Hardest thing I've ever done in aviation including aerobatics. Based on your response as well as others, it appears that everyone is happy to use the path of least resistance. Why learn to use your avionics to the fullest?? uuugh

I honestly can't think of a flying situation where the map not being to your personally easiest setting would be the best. So I stand by my statement.

Don't get me wrong, I think celestial navigation is cool and I have a lot of respect for those who have done it.
I don't see how changing the map orientation will change the information displayed. If no new information is displayed on the different orientations, how can anything be gained or lost, besides ease of use?

There is, in my mind, no reason to make yourself fly around north up to develop a comfort level.
Yes you should be able to use your avionics to their fullest, but this isn't a whole new system to be familiar with, it is just the orientation of the map.

 

[granlistillo]

Douglass,

Gotcha, makes sense to me. I wouldnt fly around all day in mode that didnt feel right. I tend to post on the fly and I didn't intend to flame ya', but rereading it, it appears that I did a little.

I guess I am going back to my radar nav days, when you would want to be able to intrepret the screen both ways hdg or n up in case of one of the modes failed.

Depends on the avionic suite as well. I am guessing the OP was talking G1000, which I only have about 30 hrs in, so relatively inexperienced.

 

[texas_pilot]

Heading up, just following my nose.

 

[aloft]

The Embraers ran HEADING up with a track carret. I liked that alot.

The G1000 does this now on the PFD's HSI. Took me a while to figure out what the magenta diamond was, but it's track.

 

[derg]

Track up on the 757/767. I don't remember the mad dog at all.

 

[fish314]

In the tanker, we didn't have the option, it was always track up. (Block 25 and 30, I think you can move them in Block 40, but I never got qual'd on that option).

In the T-6, you have to have track up on the display on the EHSI, but on the GPS control panel in map mode you can select North Up, HDG up, or TRK up. I usually leave it TRK up, so that it matches the HSI map that I have no option on. Also, TRK up is the reccommended setting (by our stan eval department) during certain types of avionics/electrical failures where you use the GPS map instead of the normal navaids, so most of the guys leave it there as a matter of habit.

In general, I don't think it really matters. Barring some differences between different types of equipment, it pretty much boils down to personal preference.

 

[woodreau]

Interesting. On the ships I have ridden on, I have only seen track up. But then again the only ship I have seen with GPS was a High Speed Craft, so that might have something to do with it.

These days, depending on the commercial navigation radar/GPS mapping unit you're using (Sperrys, Furunos, Littons) you have a choice - again it's personal preference.

I've noticed that older sailors tend to use north up and the younger ones tend to use track up. I'm guessing it's that way because before the electronic moving maps/nav displays, all you had was a chart on the chart table. It was oriented north up and it didn't turn when your ship turned. So you had to make the mental adjustment from the north up on the chart to what you saw outside your pilothouse - that how you learned to navigate - you didn't have a choice.

When using radar for traffic avoidance - the old radar repeaters could only do north up - so you did your traffic avoidance north up.

Aside from north up/track up in the pilothouse - when you move to the back into CIC (Combat) - everything in Combat is north up because it provides a common reference between all the units in the task force and with Air Force reporting units. It's much easier to reference everything that way.

 

[Chief Captain]

Track up on the 757/767. I don't remember the mad dog at all.

Boeing gives you the option of HDG up in MAP mode. To the best of my knowledge, British Airways is the only airline that uses this option.