track

Aircraft Track

Aircraft track is the actual path made over the ground in flight, represented by a compass heading denoted as 1-360. It is the real path, or vector, that the aircraft takes while in motion. In contrast to the aircraft’s heading, which denotes the direction it is pointing towards, track represents the actual direction in which the aircraft is moving relative to the ground. It should be noted that these two terms may not always be identical due to external factors such as wind correction angle (WCA).

To calculate the aircraft’s track accurately, one must factor in the aircraft’s heading and the wind correction angle. The track can be determined by adding or subtracting the WCA from the aircraft’s heading. The resulting track represents the actual path taken by the aircraft on the ground, and it is a crucial parameter used for navigation and flight planning.