Runway heading

[phishhman]

I know this may be a stupid sounding question, but it is something that has never made sense.

When I get "Runway heading, cleared for takeoff" and there is a stiff crosswind, what does ATC want? Do you want me to fly the magnetic heading of the runway and drift off due to the wind, or are you wanting me to track the extended centerline? To me, the latter makes more sense and corrolates to the fixed infrastructure on the ground and radar maps. Or, do you issue runway heading, knowing the wind is there, and that I am gonna drift off the centerline?

Something I have always wondered.

 

[chuckthepilot]

Are you freaking kidding me? THREE SECONDS of searching the pilot/controller glossary will find you the answer. Wow.

 

[CallmeJB]

ATC only cares about aircraft seperation. All aircraft are operating in the airmass (the wind). As far as radar maps go, they're happy as long as all the aircraft are drifting in the same manner. ATC knows what the winds are doing. So, they want you to fly runway heading. Which is why they say "fly runway heading".

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

If you are cleared for takeoff and instructed ruwnay heading off RWY 32L, fly heading 320......All planes will drift the same or close too!

 

[CA1900]

If you are cleared for takeoff and instructed ruwnay heading off RWY 32L, fly heading 320...

Not exactly.

From the Pilot-Controller Glossary:

RUNWAY HEADING- The magnetic direction that corresponds with the runway centerline extended, not the painted runway number. When cleared to "fly or maintain runway heading," pilots are expected to fly or maintain the heading that corresponds with the extended centerline of the departure runway. Drift correction shall not be applied; e.g., Runway 4, actual magnetic heading of the runway centerline 044, fly 044.

 

[Flyin2low]

Wind drift is expected. If you try to help by correcting for the wind you may create a 'min separation' incident.

 

[say again]

How would you maintain the extended centerline in IMC??? A little common sense goes a long way.

 

[AC560]

How would you maintain the extended centerline in IMC??? A little common sense goes a long way.

Fly or maintain without drift correction.

 

[say again]

Fly or maintain without drift correction.

That was my point. You can't maintain runway centerline if you don't have the runway in sight. When tower gives you a maintain runway heading, the mean runway heading, not extended centerline. It's the same clearance regardless of weather. My question above was pure sarcasm, and was stating that it's common sense that you can't maintain centerline while in the clouds.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

That was my point. You can't maintain runway centerline if you don't have the runway in sight. When tower gives you a maintain runway heading, the mean runway heading, not extended centerline. It's the same clearance regardless of weather. My question above was pure sarcasm, and was stating that it's common sense that you can't maintain centerline while in the clouds.

Oh, yes you can.

Actually you can do it quite easily with a GPS. Simply create a user waypoint on the runway centerline and match the OBS to the runway’s magnetic direction. I've done it nearly a hundred times during competitive flying events. However we were not in IMC nor were we instructed to maintain runway heading.