Course (navigation)

<h2 id="discussion">Discussion</h2>
<p class="note">Further information: <a href="/facts/Bearing_(angle)/rE84IorW">Bearing (angle) § Arcs</a>, and <a href="/facts/Rhumb_line/CJtHkEyp">Rhumb line § Introduction</a></p>

<p>For ships and aircraft, routes are typically <a href="/facts/Great-circle_distance/s6HNWn8e">straight-line</a> segments between <a href="/facts/Waypoint/JAytkj9C">waypoints</a>. A navigator determines the <i>bearing</i> (the compass direction from the craft's current position) of the next waypoint. Because water currents or wind can cause a craft to drift off course, a navigator sets a <i>course to steer</i> that compensates for drift. The helmsman or pilot points the craft on a <i>heading</i> that corresponds to the course to steer. If the predicted drift is correct, then the craft's track will correspond to the planned course to the next waypoint.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> Course directions are specified in degrees from north, either true or magnetic. In <a href="/facts/Aviation/HX5MHY71">aviation</a>, north is usually expressed as 360°.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Navigators used <a href="/facts/Cardinal_direction/rbcPTkbJ">ordinal directions</a>, instead of compass degrees, e.g. "northeast" instead of 45° until the mid-20th century when the use of degrees became prevalent.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li>Geography portal</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Acronyms_and_abbreviations_in_avionics/2rTYW6jT">Acronyms and abbreviations in avionics</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Glossary_of_navigation_terms/b2XlMKqN">Glossary of navigation terms</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Bearing_(navigation)/rE84IorW">Bearing (navigation)</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Breton_plotter/LsNKNDm4">Breton plotter</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/E6B/eL8dGaCv">E6B</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Great_circle/x4fq6eNm">Great circle</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Ground_track/HDgwB9RP">Ground track</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Navigation/sGGAJ0AQ">Navigation</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Navigation_room/976E5bHV">Navigation room</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Rhumb_line/CJtHkEyp">Rhumb line</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/">Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/media/21_phak_glossary.pdf">glossary</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Bartlett, Tim (2008), Adlard Coles Book of Navigations, Adlard Coles, p. 176, ISBN 978-0713689396 <a href="978-0713689396" target="_blank">978-0713689396</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Husick, Charles B. (2009). Chapman Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 927. ISBN 9781588167446. <a href="9781588167446" target="_blank">9781588167446</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25B ed.). Federal Aviation Administration. 2016-08-24. Archived from the original on 2023-06-20. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230620203429/https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20230620203429/https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Bartlett, Tim (2008), Adlard Coles Book of Navigations, Adlard Coles, p. 176, ISBN 978-0713689396 <a href="978-0713689396" target="_blank">978-0713689396</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Bartlett, Tim (2008), Adlard Coles Book of Navigations, Adlard Coles, p. 176, ISBN 978-0713689396 <a href="978-0713689396" target="_blank">978-0713689396</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25B ed.). Federal Aviation Administration. 2016-08-24. Archived from the original on 2023-06-20. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230620203429/https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20230620203429/https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Michael Nolan (2010). Fundamentals of Air Traffic Control. Cengage Learning. p. 201. ISBN 978-1-4354-8272-2. For example, a runway heading north would have a magnetic heading of 360°. <a href="978-1-4354-8272-2" target="_blank">978-1-4354-8272-2</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>Rousmaniere, John; Smith, Mark (1999). The Annapolis Book of Seamanship: Third Edition: Completely Revised, Expanded and Updated. Simon and Schuster. p. 234. ISBN 9780684854205. <a href="9780684854205" target="_blank">9780684854205</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Course (navigation) open-in-new

Course (navigation)