Track

Track (or Track Made Good, TMG) is the actual direction of the aircraft’s movement over the ground — the path traced over the earth’s surface. It is the horizontal component of the aircraft’s flight path and reflects the combined effect of the aircraft’s heading and the wind.

Track vs. Heading vs. Course

• Course: The planned direction of flight — what you intend to fly
• Heading: The direction the nose is pointing — offset from track by the wind correction angle
• Track (TMG): The actual direction of movement over the ground — confirmed by GPS or visual fix cross-check

GPS Track

GPS receivers display ground track directly. Comparing the GPS track to the planned course immediately reveals any tracking error. A difference between heading and GPS track indicates the wind correction angle being applied (or needed).

Related Terms

See also: Heading, Course, Groundspeed.