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An island appears 30° to the right of the aircraft’s longitudinal axis.

What is the true bearing of the aircraft from the island if at the time of observation the aircraft was on a magnetic heading MH of 355° with the magnetic variation VAR 15°E?

  • A
    160°T
  • B
    190°T
  • C
    130°T
  • D
    220°T
Relative bearing is the clockwise angle from the fore/aft axis of the aircraft to the station.
  • QDR Aircraft’s Magnetic Bearing from the station (Radial);
  • QDM Aircraft’s Magnetic bearing to the station;
  • QTE Aircraft’s True Bearing from the station;
  • QUJ Aircraft’s True Track to the station.

NOTE: QDM is the reciprocal of QDR; QUJ is the reciprocal of QTE.

Converting a Relative Bearing (RBI) into a True Bearing:

Apply aircraft variation to the magnetic heading to get true heading.
Add relative bearing to true heading in order to obtain true bearing TO the station If the answer comes to more than 360°(T), subtract 360.
Take the reciprocal in order to get the True Bearing to plot FROM the station.

QUJ = RBI + True Heading

QTE = RBI + True Heading +180º

To obtain a True Heading from the Magnetic Heading:

True Heading
(T)		 Variation
(V)		 Magnetic Heading (M) Deviation
(D)		 Compass Heading
(C)
010º 15ºE 355º

The relative bearing is always measured clockwise from the nose of the aircraft, 30º right is the same as RBI 030º.

Aircraft’s True Track from the island, QTE = 030º + 010º +180º = 220º (T)

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