Correcting for wind when flying a VOR

[Wing Nut]

Can someone explaing the best way to do this?  I keep trying to compensate by adjusting my course into the wind, but I still keep getting blown off of the radial...  ::)

Kevin

[garymbuska]

You are doing nothing wrong.
Without using a flight plan & using gps & nav hold options you will have to make adjustments in your heading for wind.You can even use your rudder and alieron trim tabs that is what they are there for.
After taking off one should try to trim up the aircraft so it will fly hands off without changing altitude or direction.
Like landing with a crosswind you have to crab in order to maintain the propper direction. If you are rusty are not sure how to do this then take some of the lessons it will help alot and explain what you are trying to do.
I watched a learning to fly segment last night on just this subject It is on the wings channel

[codered]

I watched "Learning to Fly" on the Wings channel last night for the first time, myself.  I already know how to fly, but it is great to get a refresher every now and then.  Pretty good show, I recomend it to anyone wanting to learn to fly or brush up on the basics.

Dread Pirate, you are doing the right thing by correcting into the wind to hold your course.  If you find you are contantly having to correct to track your course, then make small adjustments to hold that course. You will notice that if you have the autopilot on the aircraft makes corrections to maintain that course.  You might be tracking 270, but you will have to have the nose pointed at 272 or 268 or whatever will keep the aircraft traveling along the 270 course.

[Skittles]

Here's what we do in the Navy to correct for set and drift

Keep in mind, course and heading are two different things.

The Black line is your intended course.

The Red line is the Actual course

The SET is the DIRECTION of offset. The DRIFT is the SPEED. If you actually calculate the Set and Drift, you will find it is the same as the wind direction and speed. So we don't need to calc that.

The light green line shows our distance of ADVANCE the dark green line going to our location is the TRANSFER.
Double the ADVANCE. This gives CORRECTING HEADING which will provide a COURSE of 090.

Doubling the ADVANCE AND TRANSFER will provide a COMPENSATING HEADING which will provide a HEADING to get you back on track. Once on track, fly the CORRECTING HEADING.

Doing this whole mess of geometry in the air, and on charts, is difficult, but possible.