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Navigation
Resolving ambiguity
The automatic direction finder (ADF), long found on most civil aircraft panels, doesnt aid navigation in
an entirely straightforward way.
Although the ADF needle points directly at low-frequency non-directional
beacons (NDB), it doesnt indicate a heading to the station. To get the
magnetic bearing to the station, the ADFs fixed compass card requires the
pilot to take the relative bearing to or from the station (the angle between
the aircrafts nose or tail and the NDB), and then add the relative bearing
to the current magnetic heading to get the magnetic bearing to the
station.
An ADF with a rotatable card partially solves this problem by allowing the
pilot to rotate the card to match the heading on the heading indicator.
While this provides a magnetic heading to the station, the pilot must reset
the heading indicator to the magnetic compass in level flight every ten
minutes or so, adding an additional manual task.
RMI defined
The radio magnetic indicator (RMI) is one solution to the ADF's
shortcomings. The RMI combines three components: a fluxgate,
a heading indicator, and a relative bearing indicator.
Some RMIs have two needles like the one pictured on this page;
others only have one needle. The RMI can be used for VOR
navigation as well as ADF navigation. Most single-needle RMIs
have a switch that allows the pilot to select either an ADF or VOR station to which the needle can
point.
In Flight Simulator, all of the RMIs are dual-needle and only provide information for the ADF and VOR
2. You cannot select a different radio for each needle. The ADF needle is yellow and the VOR needle is
green. The VOR needle points to a VOR station and the tail of the needle indicates the current radial.
The fluxgate
The fluxgate is a detector that is sensitive to magnetic north. It is mounted in a relatively non-
magnetic place in the airplane to minimize magnetic interference. The fluxgate constantly and
automatically updates the RMIs heading indicator, eliminating the task of turning a compass card or
correcting the RMIs heading indicator to the magnetic compass.
With the magnetic bearing indicator pointing at an NDB, the current heading to or from the station is
readily apparent. The ADF needle indicates the magnetic heading to the station and the tail of the
The Radio Magnetic Indicator
RELATED LINKS
Using the Radios
Automatic Direction Finder
What You Need to Know
About VOR
Green needle: VOR
Yellow needle: ADF
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pointer indicates the magnetic heading away from the station. Depending on whether the pilot wants
to fly to or from the station, he just turns the aircraft to the heading indicated by the ADF pointer.
NDB approaches and RMI
An RMI can simplify flying NDB approaches by eliminating the need to add magnetic heading
calculations into the IFR task load. The aircrafts position relative to the station is always clear,
whether flying to or from the station.
In the example here, the pilot is
flying outbound for a course
reversal. With the tail of the ADF
needle centered at the top of the
RMI, the magnetic heading is the
reciprocal of the final approach
heading. The final approach course
is 157 degrees, the outbound
heading is 337 degrees. A right-
hand procedure turn will make the
heading 022 degrees and the tail of
the RMI needle will point to 337
degrees.
Upon reversal of the procedure turn,
the heading is 202 and the head of
the RMI needle points to 157. As the
needle moves closer to the left
wingtip the pilot turns the aircraft
onto the final approach course,
centering the RMI needle on the final approach heading of 157. Remember that the pointer always
points at the station and the RMI compass card displays the current magnetic heading. If the needle
points ahead of the wing the station is ahead of the aircraft. Similarly, if the needle points behind the
wing the station is behind the aircraft.
RMI and DME Arcs
Flying a DME arc can also benefit from reference to the RMI. Until reaching the radial that represents
the final approach course, the pilot flies the arc by keeping the aircraft a specified distance away from
a VOR/DME station.
In the example pictured here, there is an
arc seven nautical miles (7 DME) from a
VOR and the final approach course is 109
degrees. The pilot flies the arc by
keeping the RMI needle pointed towards
the left wingtip while flying a series of
short straight legs.
A DME arc provides an 8-mile wide
corridor, but the goal should be to stay
within one nautical mile of the arc.
As the pilot flies a straight line tangential
to the arc, the DME distance begins to
increase and the needle moves behind
the wingtip. When the needle is 10
degrees behind the wingtip, the pilot
turns 20 degrees in the direction of the
arc, which moves the RMI needle 10
degrees ahead of the wingtip. The pilot
holds that heading until the needle falls
behind the wingtip again, and then
repeats this procedure until it is time to
turn inbound on the final approach
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course. In all of the examples, a no-wind situation is assumed.
Simple and easy-to-use, its little wonder why the RMI is on the instrument panel of many complex
aircraft today.
Flight Simulator aircraft with RMI:
Beechcraft Baron
Beechcraft King Air
Boeing 747-400
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