D1 Heading information

[purlee]

Am I correct in assuming that the "heading" information displayed on a D1 is actually the "magnetic track made good", in other words, the track over the ground which the aircraft is covering, reduced to a magnetic heading, rather than the actual magnetic direction in which the aircraft is pointing?

The implication of this would be that, if one was, for instance, on a long over-water flight, where there are no landmarks, you would need to pre-calculate the magnetic track required, as well as the required magnetic heading, to ensure that the D1 was taking you in the right direction.

 

[dynonsupport]

The D1 is GPS ground track. As you say, it's the actual magnetic track over the ground, not where the nose is pointed.

If you were doing a hand flight plan, you would just plan as if there were zero winds. It works exactly like a compass when there are zero winds to push the nose in a different direction than your path. When you calculate your flight plan, you are already doing this since you calculate your zero wind direction and then add a wind correction angle to it. Just don't do the last part