When you hear "track", is it always "magnetic track", "true track", or what?

Question

When you hear "track", is it always "magnetic track", "true track", or what?

Answer 1

Track is the ground track, no matter what units it is measured with.  

A celestial line of position is typically measured and labeled in degrees from True North.  But the pilot tracking along it would reference his Magnetic heading instruments.

Answer 2

Well in helicopters when I say I'm following a track its normally a "Twain Twack".

IFR= I Follow Roads

(Rotorwing humor)

Answer 3

Your track over the ground is almost always stated in relation to magnetic direction. Even though you plan a true course, you convert it to a magnetic course because you fly with a magnetic compass, and if you happen to be tracking a VOR radial, that is also based on magnetic direction. Your track over the ground is also magnetic as far as ATC or your GPS is concerned.  The GPS actually calculates your true track but converts it to magnetic so it is meaningful to you in the airplane.  If ATC gives you a magnetic heading and they see that you are not tracking in exactly the direction they want (due to wind), they'll have you alter course X degrees left or right.

Answer 4

In the US, tracking is meant to mean you are flying a radial from a navaid, with correcting for wind drift. Homeing is just constantly adjusting your flight to "home"into a station. This was more common with ADF Navigation with NDB signals.

Magnetic tracking is flying a magnetic heading, such as on IFR flights following VOR to VOR.

True tracking is flying a true course on VFR true course.

Answer 5

nope its not always. it can mean ether .(how about grid track as well )

when you say degrees its good airmanship to always say which clears up any confusion deg.mag. deg.true. deg.grid.

Answer 6

true north and magnetic north are not the same. the deviation is listed on sectional charts.

Answer 7

It is either or and is usually identified as such.

Generally aircraft are navigated by magnetic track but here in Canada in Northern Domestic Airspace we use true tracks because of the unreliability of compasses close to the magnetic pole.