![]() Not bad at all for an aircraft reaching Mach 3. The system could lock onto as many as 11 stars at a time, even during the day, and could determine the position of the jet with up to 300 feet of accuracy. ![]() The general idea of celestial navigation is to use celestial prominent bodies such as the Sun, the Moon, planets, and stars as the primary means to determine position and direction.Ī good example of the effectiveness of this navigation system is the SR-71 used a computerized celestial navigation system as one of its main navigation aids. Nowadays a lot of information important to pilots is simply displayed on primary flight displays. However, a newer navigation system known as GPS made these two radio systems shut down in the 1990s. Another system using land-based radio beacons was Loran-C, and it was also popular in the 1970s. It started operations in 1971, enabling aircraft to navigate using very low-frequency radio signals worldwide. The first global radio navigation system used was the one called OMEGA. This navigation system allows the pilot to tune in to the right radio station, which is usually provided in navigation charts, and get the current position and course of flight in the navigation equipment installed in the aircraft. One of the most used methods is radio navigation. However, it has been discarded since it has a meager success rate because of wind direction and speed changes. This was a prevalent method in the early days of aviation. Checkpoints are established to verify the direction and ground speed are correct, making it possible to determine the arrival time to the destination. These computations are adjusted for wind speed to get the real direction and ground speed. Dead Reckoningĭead reckoning is another basic method where navigation takes place based on time, speed, direction, and distance computations. The pilot can identify these deviations whenever the landmark is not found along the route, and corrections should be made. Of course, weather conditions such as strong winds may deviate the flight from the original route. Common landmarks used include but are not limited to: The references and landmarks the pilot will use while flying are established on the ground before takeoff and marked along the route on an aeronautical map. Here the pilot uses visual references and the position relative to specific landmarks found on the ground. This is perhaps the most basic navigation method. Let’s take a look at each method separately for a better understanding. These methods are:Įach of the methods in the list has a special way of applying it, and they can be combined for the best possible navigation depending on the situation. This said, the main methods of air navigation could be summarized in four. However, a magnetic compass is only useful in a straight and level flight when it comes to flying. ![]() Many people believe the most simple and useful method would be using a magnetic compass. What are the main methods of air navigation? Let’s dive into the most common methods used for air navigation nowadays. However, modern aircraft, especially military aircraft, fly at very high speeds that leave no place for such calculations.įortunately, technological developments have allowed aircraft to reach remote areas without any problem thanks to well-developed navigation methods. In the past, captains of the sailing ships in the early days relied on their navigator, a man in charge of marking a course from start to destination and determining the ship’s current location either on paper or a map by using complicated geometrical instruments and calculations. And all this is achieved by using certain navigation aids to help the pilots know their exact location at all times. The basic principles of general navigation (sea and ground) apply to aircraft navigation, including planning, recording, and controlling the movement of the aircraft in the air. What is aircraft navigation?Īircraft navigation or just air navigation refers to taking an aircraft from starting point to the desired destination while never losing control, getting lost, violating regulations governing aircraft operations, or putting people on board and the ground at risk. So, let us take you through the details of such a vital aspect. Therefore, aircraft navigation becomes an essential aspect of flying, whether a military or transport aircraft. In the end, there are no roads in the air defining such a route, but the route is required to avoid crashing into other aircraft or getting into non-favorable weather conditions such as a storm. Many people take the complexity of defining the route an aircraft should take to fly from point A to point B for granted.
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