Pilot navigation reference: from course to navlog
A navigation plan connects a desired ground path to the heading, speed, time, and position needed to follow it. The most common planning errors come from switching between course, heading, track, airspeed, and groundspeed as if they were interchangeable. This guide puts those quantities into one workflow and links each step to a topic explanation or calculator.
Course, heading, and track describe different things
Course is the intended path over the ground. Heading is the direction the airplane's nose points. Track is the path the airplane actually follows over the ground. Wind can make track differ from heading. Start with the desired course, account for wind to find a heading, and compare the resulting track with the intended route. The guides to course, heading, and track, the wind triangle, and wind-correction angle explain each relationship.
Course 090°, wind from 180°
For a true course of 090° at 100 kt TAS, wind from 180° at 20 kt pushes the airplane north, left of course. A heading of about 101.5° true supplies a southward airspeed component to offset that wind. Groundspeed is about 98 kt.
For a 50 NM leg at that groundspeed, estimated time is 50 ÷ 98 hours, or about 30.6 minutes. This example isolates the geometry; real planning uses the correct wind at altitude, the aircraft's applicable speed, route constraints, and appropriate chart or avionics data. Try the wind-triangle calculator, then compare the result with the time-speed-distance calculator.
Keep true, magnetic, and compass references straight
Navigation references may use true directions, magnetic directions, or a displayed compass heading. Apply variation in the correct direction for the operation and chart, then account for aircraft compass deviation only where the procedure calls for it. Do not carry a magnetic value into a true-course calculation without conversion. Review true versus magnetic heading, reciprocal headings, and runway numbers.
Build an en-route navlog
For each leg, record the route course, wind correction, planned heading, groundspeed, distance, time, and fuel flow or fuel required as appropriate. Make the units explicit: knots are nautical miles per hour, so time in minutes is distance divided by groundspeed multiplied by 60. Check that successive legs connect and that each turn, altitude, airspace restriction, fuel assumption, and destination alternate is handled in the broader plan. PilotDesk's route planner and online E6B support the math; they do not supply or replace required charts, clearances, weather briefings, or flight-plan decisions.
Position and route geometry
Coordinates identify a position, while great-circle distance estimates the shortest surface path between two points. A VFR checkpoint-to-checkpoint route may differ from that shortest path because of terrain, airspace, landmarks, or pilot workload. Instrument procedures add published fixes, courses, and distances that must be flown as charted. Explore degrees-minutes-seconds coordinates, great-circle distance, DME arc geometry, and holding-leg distance.
Use current navigation sources
Before flight, use current charts, notices, weather, and the approved navigation sources for the operation. Verify waypoint identifiers, frequencies, magnetic variation, airspace, and procedure revisions. A calculator can catch arithmetic mistakes, but it cannot validate that the route is legal, current, obstacle-clear, or suitable for the conditions.
For FAA fundamentals, consult the current Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and applicable navigation publications and charts.