You plan to fly the LOC BC RWY 31 which has a course of 314°. What do you set in the course window?

To determine the correct setting for the course window when flying the LOC BC RWY 31, it is essential to consider the nature of the approach and the instrument setup. The approach course being referenced is 314°. In a standard procedure for setting the course in the aircraft's navigation system, you would typically input the course as it is published for the approach.

Setting 134° may have been chosen due to a misunderstanding of how to interpret the magnetic course in relation to the aircraft's heading and wind correction. The course of 314° represents the direction you intend to receive guidance from the localizer, which aligns your aircraft with the runway. In this situation, the aircraft should have the course set to match the published approach course.

When flying instrument approaches, wind correction is accounted for in the flight management and navigation systems by adjusting the heading in relation to the indicated course, but this is not reflected in the course input. The correct value to input into the course window is simply the magnetic course of 314° as published, ensuring that your navigation system provides the proper course guidance toward the runway during the approach.

Understanding how to set the navigation systems correctly ensures that the aircraft aligns itself properly with the approach path, allowing for effective and safe navigation