RHUMB LINE or LOXODROME
> Regularly curved line on the surface of the earth which cuts all meridians at same angle.
> Lines on earth’s surface which have a constant true direction
> All parallels of latitude are Rhumb line.
> Rhumb line distance is greater than the GC distance.
> RL track spirals up to nearest pole
> EQUATOR is a GC as well as RHUMB LINE
> Meridian is a SEMI GC and RHUMB LINE
SMALL CIRCLE
> Any circle on the surface of the earth which is smaller than GC
> Example parallels of Latitude
RHUMB LINE
NAUTICAL MILE – The ICAO definition of the nautical mile is that it is a measure of distance of 1852
meters.
> ARC of Great Circle/Meridian which subtends an angle of 1 Minutes at the center of the earth
> Length of Nautical Mile is more at Pole than equator 6046 feet(1843 metres) at equator and 6108 feet
(1862 metres) at poles.
> Length of Nautical Mile is more at height
> 1 NM = 1.852 Kilometres 1852 metres = 185200 cms
KILOMETER
> Is one by 10,000th part of average distance between equator and either Pole (DGCA)
> Length between equator and pole is 10000 Kms
> 1 KM = 3280 Feet
> 1 meter = 3.28 Feet
STATUE MILE
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
> 1 SM = 5280 Feet
> Not normally used in aviation
DISTANCE ON THE EARTH
> 1NM = 1.852 KM = 6080 FT = 1.15 SM
> 1 SM = 1.61 KM = 5280 FT
> 1 METRE (m) =100 centimetres (cm) = 1000 millimetres (mm)
> 1 centimetre (cm) = 10 millimetres (cm)
> 1 metre(m)= 3.28 feet (ft)
> 1 inch(‘’)= 2.54 centimetres(cm)
> 1 yard(yd) = 3 feet(ft)
GEOGRAPHIC OR GEODETIC LATITUDE
> Is the angle between the normal to the observer’s horizontal plane and the equatorial plane.
GEOCENTRIC LATITUDE
> Is the angle between the line joining the observer to the Geocentre of the earth. Geocentre is the
point where earth’s axis crosses equatorial plane.
> Geocentric Latitude will always exceed geographic latitude
> There will be no difference between them at equator and poles and maximum difference is at
45degree Lat
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
One minute of latitude = 1 nautical mile (nm)
One degree of latitude = 60 minutes = 60 nm
But
One minute of Longitude = 1 nm at the equator only
DEPARTURE
Distance between two meridians along a specified parallel of latitude
> Also called Rhumb line distance
> Maximum at equator and zero at poles, therefore varies at cosine of Latitude
> Departure = Chlong (Dlong) in minutes x Cos of Latitude
Departure(nm) = Ch Long (in degree) x 60 x Cos Lat
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
CONVERGENCY
> Angle of inclination between two meridians over a particular latitude
> CONVERGENCY = Chlong (D long) in degrees X Sine Mean latitude
> Higher the latitude more the Convergency
> More Chlong, more is Convergency
CONVERSION ANGLE ( CA)
> Is the angular difference between Great Circle and a Rhumb Line bearing
> CA = ½ Convergency
> CA = ½ Chlong (D long) in Degrees X Sine mean Latitude
NEED TO APPLY CONVERSION ANGLE
> On the Earth GC is a straight line and Rhumb line is a curved line
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
> Radio Signals follow GC bearing
> Plotting is done on Mercator chart, GC bearing will have to be converted in to RL bearing and is
achieved by applying CA
ON MERCATOR CHART
GC is a curve convex to nearest pole and is concave to equator
> RL is always nearer to equator
Q.1 WHAT IS THE ANGLE BETWEEN TRUE G/C TRACK AND THE TRUE R/L TRACK JOINING THE POINTS
‘’A’’ (7000S 16000W) AND “B” (7000S 17900E), AT THE PLACE OF DEPARTURE? (Cos70 = 0.34 , Sin70 =
0.94)
Q.2 POSITION “A” IS 58 N 030 W AND POSITION “B” IS 51 N 020 W? WHAT IS THE RHUMB LINE
BEARING FROM A TO B, IF THE GREAT CIRCLE TRACK FROM A TO B MEASURED FROM A IS 100(T)?
a) 110 (T) b) 284 (T) c) 104 (T) d) 90 (T)
Q.3 THE GREAT CIRCLE BEARING PF ‘E’ FROM ‘F’ IS 090 (T) AND THE GREAT CIRCLE BEARING OF ‘F’
FROM ‘E’ IS 265 (T) . IN WHICH HEMISPHERE ARE ‘E’ AND ‘F’ LOCATED?
IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
The direction of a Westerly Great Circle decreases
The direction of an Easterly Great Circle increases
IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
The direction of a Westerly Great circle increases
The direction of an Easterly Great circle decreases
Q.4 THE GREAT CIRCLKE BEARING OF B(50N010E) FROM A (40N002W)is 60 Deg.
What is the Great Circle Brg of A from B?
Q.5 the great circle track from c(36N015E) TO D Lat (042N) is 300(T) AND THE FINAL G/C TRACK AT D
IS 295 (T).
(a) What is the log of D?
(b) What is the approx G/C Track Direction at 011 Deg E?
YADWINDER SINGH
BORN TO FLY AVIATION ACADEMY SEC-7, DWARKA, NEW DELHI
09023349999
