How to Calculate the Correct Heading for Aircraft Intercept Course?

Calculating the Correct Heading

Final answer: The aircraft should turn to a heading of 100 degrees to correctly intercept a track of 070 degrees at 060 and fly inbound to the station.

Explanation

The correct answer to the question is Option c: 100. When the aircraft is on a heading (HDG) of 340 degrees and has a relative bearing of 070 degrees, it means that the station (or the radio beacon) is located 70 degrees to the right of the aircraft. To intercept a track of 070 degrees at 060 (meaning the aircraft should be 60 degrees to the left of the 070-degree track to fly inbound), the aircraft should turn to a heading that will bring its nose to a heading of 070 degrees considering the relative position. A simple method to determine this is to add the relative bearing to the current heading and then adjust for the desired intercept angle. So, if we add the relative bearing of 070 to the current heading of 340, we get 410 degrees. Since headings are within a 360-degree system, we subtract 360 (410 - 360) to get 050 degrees. However, to set up an intercept of 060 degrees towards the station, we need to fly 30 degrees to the right of 070 degrees because subtracting 60 from 070 gives us 010, but we want to intercept towards the station. Thus, the correct heading to establish on that intercept course would be 100 degrees since this will position the aircraft to intercept the bearing of 070 degrees from a 060-degree angle.