"Bugging" Your Heading

I do. Every time I get a heading from ATC, it goes into the bug as a reflex.

Some takes off require a turn to a heading at a particular altitude...I bug that before I roll...this visual reminder just lightens my requirement to remember and makes the single pilot IFR a bit less work.
 
I bug every time,when I had a plane without a heading bug,I used a stick on I got at sportys.
 
I need to find another altitude bug, the one I had on the plane is now AWOL. Although one of my partners my have ditched it. It was one of these high tech ones with the hook straightened.

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midlifeflyer said:
Nah, it's just about using the tools the airplane gives you to make things simpler. I'm sure there are plenty of folks with minimalist cockpits who don't have a DG and have been flying without one for many years without a problem. But if they have a DG, might as well use it.
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My DG doesn't have a bug.
 
I bug all the time.

When taxiing, I bug the wind to make it easier to visualize what the controls are supposed to be doing.
On takeoff, runway or assigned heading.
When on vectors, of course, assigned heading.
When not on vectors, my current heading to maintain course. Even when on autopilot and in Nav mode, I'll set the bug and then watch how it changes - You can see the winds aloft changing over time and potentially get a better idea of your position relative to weather systems.
I don't generally bug the runway on a VFR landing, but it's not a bad idea to do so at unfamiliar airports for an easy cross-check on final. I *have* lined up on the wrong runway at a towered airport a long time ago - They had one bright white concrete runway and one nice dark asphalt runway, so I saw the wrong one.

Old DG bugs kinda suck but they are useful. On a glass panel where you have heading sync, there's no excuse not to use it.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I bug all the time.

When taxiing, I bug the wind to make it easier to visualize what the controls are supposed to be doing.
On takeoff, runway or assigned heading.
When on vectors, of course, assigned heading.
When not on vectors, my current heading to maintain course. Even when on autopilot and in Nav mode, I'll set the bug and then watch how it changes - You can see the winds aloft changing over time and potentially get a better idea of your position relative to weather systems.
I don't generally bug the runway on a VFR landing, but it's not a bad idea to do so at unfamiliar airports for an easy cross-check on final. I *have* lined up on the wrong runway at a towered airport a long time ago - They had one bright white concrete runway and one nice dark asphalt runway, so I saw the wrong one.

Old DG bugs kinda suck but they are useful. On a glass panel where you have heading sync, there's no excuse not to use it.
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Great idea!
 
Clark1961 said:
How long did they fly without a bug? Why do they suddenly need a bug now? They won’t remember until they have a reason to remember. Your craziness and yelling are not reasons.
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My guess is that the OP is instructing at a flight school that is dealing with a lot of students who have airline aspirations. In the professional world, particularly in two pilot airplanes, bugging your heading/syncing the heading bug is just a standard ‘best’ practice.

The airplane isn’t going to get lost or fall out of the sky if you don’t bug the heading. But, they might as well get into the habit early on because if they go on to the professional world, sooner or later they are going to get paired with a captain who will ***** slap them for not doing it.


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flyingcheesehead said:
I bug all the time.

When taxiing, I bug the wind to make it easier to visualize what the controls are supposed to be doing.
On takeoff, runway or assigned heading.
When on vectors, of course, assigned heading.
When not on vectors, my current heading to maintain course. Even when on autopilot and in Nav mode, I'll set the bug and then watch how it changes - You can see the winds aloft changing over time and potentially get a better idea of your position relative to weather systems.
I don't generally bug the runway on a VFR landing, but it's not a bad idea to do so at unfamiliar airports for an easy cross-check on final. I *have* lined up on the wrong runway at a towered airport a long time ago - They had one bright white concrete runway and one nice dark asphalt runway, so I saw the wrong one.

Old DG bugs kinda suck but they are useful. On a glass panel where you have heading sync, there's no excuse not to use it.
Click to expand...
I basically do the same thing as this. The exception is the wind. I always use my second nav CDI for the wind...not sure when that started but it's been over a decade.

I'm just now using the altitude bug and love it. Not sure why it took half a year after installing my G5 to start using it but it's a nice reminder and I like the approaching and deviating alerts it gives.
 
Fearless Tower said:
My guess is that the OP is instructing at a flight school that is dealing with a lot of students who have airline aspirations. In the professional world, particularly in two pilot airplanes, bugging your heading/syncing the heading bug is just a standard ‘best’ practice.

The airplane isn’t going to get lost or fall out of the sky if you don’t bug the heading. But, they might as well get into the habit early on because if they go on to the professional world, sooner or later they are going to get paired with a captain who will ***** slap them for not doing it.


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None of that obviates the OP’s problem. If he can square it away and explain it in reasonable terms then perhaps he might have success. As long as he continues with the current behavior he will fail.
 
Fearless Tower said:
My guess is that the OP is instructing at a flight school that is dealing with a lot of students who have airline aspirations. In the professional world, particularly in two pilot airplanes, bugging your heading/syncing the heading bug is just a standard ‘best’ practice.

The airplane isn’t going to get lost or fall out of the sky if you don’t bug the heading. But, they might as well get into the habit early on because if they go on to the professional world, sooner or later they are going to get paired with a captain who will ***** slap them for not doing it.


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Click to expand...

This is the problem with "training" a 250hr wonder to be a B777 pilot.

There is a proper evolution to these things.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Just tell them "Comair 5191 - go read that and then I want you to always always use and follow the bug from now on."
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Perfect! Thanks for sharing! Makes my point exactly. Also looks like there's a Singapore Airlines flight that had the same issue.
 
Clark1961 said:
None of that obviates the OP’s problem. If he can square it away and explain it in reasonable terms then perhaps he might have success. As long as he continues with the current behavior he will fail.
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Definitely tried to explain it in reasonable terms already. I don't think it a lack of value that they see. I think its more just task saturation that they are struggling with. To be clear, I don't actually yell at them... but, when I say "bug your heading" five times and they still haven't done it, its definitely a bit frustrating.
 
rt4388 said:
Definitely tried to explain it in reasonable terms already. I don't think it a lack of value that they see. I think its more just task saturation that they are struggling with. To be clear, I don't actually yell at them... but, when I say "bug your heading" five times and they still haven't done it, its definitely a bit frustrating.
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Perhaps say, “Don’t turn ... until you bug your heading.”?

Change the game a touch. Subtle but effective. A little shock and awe right as they start a turn. :) :) :)
 
You don't need to bug your heading, just follow the magenta line. I bug the wind direction and update it with each weather check. I'm a low time pilot and I constantly look for places to land off field. Bugging the wind eliminates that concern should an emergency arise.
 
Only thing I do is bug my landing runway so then I can get a clear visual picture of where the wind is coming from if there is a crosswind. I hate math.
 
I bug my headings as many have mentioned here. Why not?

But I do another thing with the bug that I haven't seen mentioned: On a localizer/ils approach I center the bug when my GPS TRK matches the approach course, regardless of the numbers on the DG face. This makes it easy to see exactly what kind of corrections I am making. I keep an eye on the bug and on TRK because some wind circumstances require adjustment during the approach, typically small ones. TRK is my friend.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
You can't do that! Nav2 CDI is for counting landings! :rofl:
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Use Nav 1. The GPS will whine about it but who cares? LOL. Message: “Set OBS heading to XXX...” oh shut up... Hahaha. You can even build yourself a bad habit of not twisting at all! :) :) :)

(I do like the OBS landing counter trick. It works well.)
 
denverpilot said:
(I do like the OBS landing counter trick. It works well.)
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pls illustrate, cuz when I am just in the pattern after about 3 laps I can no longer remember if I did 5 laps or 7.
 
I just make tic marks on my kneeboard. Then I don't have to carry the OBS home in order to fill out my logbook. :)
 
WannFly said:
pls illustrate, cuz when I am just in the pattern after about 3 laps I can no longer remember if I did 5 laps or 7.
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Start with the OBS on N. After one landing, move it to 010, after the second landing move it to 020 and so on. When you finish, if it's on 120 you did 12 landings.
 
paflyer said:
I have a tool called short term memory, works for me.
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Don’t ever underestimate the value of your tool, and do whatever you have to in order to keep it in good shape. It’s priceless. (Really . . . no sarcasm here.)
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Start with the OBS on N. After one landing, move it to 010, after the second landing move it to 020 and so on. When you finish, if it's on 120 you did 12 landings.
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If you're in the pattern and doing t&gs I just count a landing every tenth, seems to work quite well when I was CFIing pre solo guys.



Lon33 said:
Don’t ever underestimate the value of your tool, and do whatever you have to in order to keep it in good shape. It’s priceless. (Really . . . no sarcasm here.)
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Sometimes less is more, it's like the guy who's going up to do a few VFR laps in the pattern of a tiny simple airport who loads up foreflight, E6B, knee boards straps to every appendage, pens and backup pens, SPOT tracker, portable AHRS and ADSB, full pilot logs, rolley bag etc.

Where as I just grab my wallet and headset, maybe put some shoes on and just launch.

I'll have 5 laps before he's done storing and configuring all his "stuff".


Tools are great, but only when needed and used properly.

Trying to get a student who's still working on being a good VFR pilot to focus more INSIDE the plane is IMHO counter productive. Let the bugging come when he starts the IMC part of his journey.
 
Lon33 said:
Don’t ever underestimate the value of your tool, and do whatever you have to in order to keep it in good shape. It’s priceless. (Really . . . no sarcasm here.)
Click to expand...
What were we talking about? And where are my car keys?
 
James331 said:
If you're in the pattern and doing t&gs I just count a landing every tenth, seems to work quite well when I was CFIing pre solo guys.
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Yeah, it does usually work out to that if all you do is pattern work. If you combine a flight with pattern work and something else, not so much!

Sometimes less is more, it's like the guy who's going up to do a few VFR laps in the pattern of a tiny simple airport who loads up foreflight, E6B, knee boards straps to every appendage, pens and backup pens, SPOT tracker, portable AHRS and ADSB, full pilot logs, rolley bag etc.

Where as I just grab my wallet and headset, maybe put some shoes on and just launch.

I'll have 5 laps before he's done storing and configuring all his "stuff".


Tools are great, but only when needed and used properly.

Trying to get a student who's still working on being a good VFR pilot to focus more INSIDE the plane is IMHO counter productive. Let the bugging come when he starts the IMC part of his journey.
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True... But OTOH, consistency is a good thing. If you bug on IFR flights but not VFR flights, you won't develop the habit for the IFR flights. And bugging runway heading (or wind, or whatever you use it for for takeoffs/landings) should be something that's done exactly once for a flight in the pattern, and only looked at if actually needed. If it wasn't needed, the habit was still encouraged. If it was needed, or at least helpful... Well, then it was a good thing to do!

The difference between the bug and all the extraneous things you listed is that the bug is attached to the airplane and doesn't require any preflight setup.
 
@James331 the tenths thing works too. The OBS trick is more of a thing you do while they’re overloaded over there and they don’t even notice you’re doing it. In fact when they finally realize you’re reaching for the OBS after each landing, and ask what you’re doing, they’re starting to not have tunnel vision on the landings. :)

I haven’t done a primary student yet of course, but folks tell me it’s funny how many times they can see you doing it and never even have it register at all in their overloaded brain. Especially if you don’t say anything about it. But sometimes even if you have. :) :) :)

Then one day they ask... “Why do you turn the OBS like that?” Both because they’re coming out of overload and also because they’re learning to get protective of their controls. “Hey, why are you touching my stuff?!”

Of course, they start getting protective of the controls after the flight where the engine suddenly gets quiet as soon as they forget to keep their hand on the throttle. ;) ;) ;)

Mean ol’ CFI! You bastard... don’t touch my stuff over here! :) And the guard dog is trained... hahaha.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah, it does usually work out to that if all you do is pattern work. If you combine a flight with pattern work and something else, not so much!



True... But OTOH, consistency is a good thing. If you bug on IFR flights but not VFR flights, you won't develop the habit for the IFR flights. And bugging runway heading (or wind, or whatever you use it for for takeoffs/landings) should be something that's done exactly once for a flight in the pattern, and only looked at if actually needed. If it wasn't needed, the habit was still encouraged. If it was needed, or at least helpful... Well, then it was a good thing to do!

The difference between the bug and all the extraneous things you listed is that the bug is attached to the airplane and doesn't require any preflight setup.
Click to expand...

I use the bug myself for VFR and nearly always have it synced, I'm only saying that using the bug should be something they progress into and see its benifit and want to use it, not just use it because the CFI said to. Once they start IFR training and you teach them how it can reduce work load, you won't have to remind them to use it again.
 
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