Heading vs track vs true north: what’s the difference?

In Aviation & Real-World Flying, heading is the direction an aircraft’s nose points, while track is the direction it moves over the ground. True north is the geographic reference used for true heading and true track. Wind separates heading from track; magnetic variation separates true figures from magnetic ones.

Heading vs track in aviation: the practical difference

Heading describes the aircraft’s orientation; track describes its motion over the Earth’s surface.

Heading and track are normally expressed as three-digit angles measured clockwise from the chosen north reference: 090° is east, 180° is south and 270° is west. North may appear as either 000° or 360°, depending on the instrument and context.

A number such as 085° is incomplete unless its reference is known. Look for labels such as T, M, TH, MH, TRK or DTK, and check the display’s true-versus-magnetic setting.

Why do heading and track differ?

Heading and track differ whenever the aircraft’s nose is not aligned with its path over the ground, most commonly because a crosswind moves it sideways.

Suppose the required track is 090° true and the wind is from the north. Left uncorrected, the aircraft drifts south of the route. The pilot therefore points the nose north of east—perhaps 080° true—to maintain a 090° true track. The precise correction depends on wind speed, true airspeed and their relative angle.

The angular difference between the nose and resulting ground path is commonly described as drift; the correction applied to oppose it is the wind-correction angle. Sign conventions vary between manuals, so thinking in terms of a left or right correction is often clearer than relying on plus and minus signs.

Wind is not the only cause. Heading and track can also separate during a sideslip, sideways helicopter flight or other manoeuvres in which the aircraft’s longitudinal axis does not align with its velocity. At very low ground speed, GNSS track may jump, disappear or retain its last valid value; heading remains meaningful while stationary.

What does true north mean in aviation?

True north is the direction along the local geographic meridian towards the geographic North Pole, and it defines 000° true.

It is different from magnetic north, which depends on the local direction of Earth’s magnetic field. It is also different from grid north, a specialised map-grid reference encountered chiefly in high-latitude navigation.

• True heading (TH): nose direction measured from true north.
• Magnetic heading (MH): nose direction measured from magnetic north.
• True track (TT): actual ground path measured from true north.
• Magnetic track (MT): actual ground path measured from magnetic north.

True track vs true heading

True heading is where the nose points relative to true north; true track is where the aircraft actually travels relative to true north.

In the crosswind example, the aircraft could have a true heading of 080° and a true track of 090°. The word true only identifies the north reference—it does not mean the aircraft is pointing along its intended route.

Magnetic track vs magnetic heading

Magnetic track and magnetic heading retain the same movement-versus-nose distinction, but both are measured from magnetic north.

To convert a true direction to magnetic, subtract easterly variation and add westerly variation, then wrap the result through 000°/360° if necessary. At a location with 10°E variation, 080° true heading becomes 070° magnetic heading, while 090° true track becomes 080° magnetic track. Their 10° separation remains unchanged because both values moved to the same new reference.

Compass deviation is a separate correction caused by magnetic influences within the aircraft. It affects the conventional magnetic compass reading, not a GNSS-derived track. Our explanation of how magnetic variation changes navigation values covers the conversion rules and common sign errors.

True course vs true heading: are they the same?

A true course is not the same as a true heading: course is the intended route direction measured from true north, while heading is the direction the nose must point.

Track is the third part of the comparison—the path actually achieved. In basic flight planning, the relationship is:

• True course: the intended route over the ground.
• True heading: the nose direction after applying wind correction.
• True track: the ground direction the aircraft actually achieves.

Equipment terminology varies. In aviation, DTK normally means desired track: the direction of the active planned path towards the next waypoint. TRK or TK is usually actual track, while BRG is the direct bearing from the present position to a waypoint. If the aircraft is off the planned leg, bearing, DTK and actual track can all show different numbers without any instrument being wrong.

A CRS indication may represent a selected VOR course or another chosen navigation line rather than present movement. See our closer comparison of intended course, aircraft heading and achieved track for those instrument-specific distinctions.

How do course, heading and track fit together?

The normal planning sequence starts with the required ground path and ends by checking the track actually achieved.

1. Choose the desired course or DTK. This defines the route to be flown.
2. Apply a wind correction. Turn into the crosswind to obtain the required true heading.
3. Apply magnetic variation if needed. Convert true heading to the magnetic value used by the relevant cockpit instrument or clearance.
4. Monitor actual track and cross-track error. Adjust heading if the aircraft does not remain on the desired route. During an intercept, actual track will intentionally differ from DTK until the route is recaptured.

Our dead-reckoning workflow for flight simulators shows this sequence with course, wind correction, groundspeed and magnetic heading used together.

Which indication should you follow?

Follow the indication that matches the task: heading for a heading instruction, and course, DTK or lateral guidance for a route over the ground.

• ATC vector: fly the assigned heading. In conventional operations this is normally magnetic unless true headings are explicitly specified.
• Autopilot HDG mode: set the selected heading and expect the ground track to change when the wind changes.
• Flight-plan leg: follow the course, DTK, CDI or NAV/LNAV guidance. The system may command a different heading to counter wind or intercept the route.
• Manual route keeping: adjust heading until actual track follows the desired course, then monitor cross-track error rather than matching the numbers once and ignoring drift.
• Stationary or moving slowly: use heading. GNSS track may be undefined or unstable without enough movement.

A heading bug set to 090° tells HDG mode to hold a 090° heading, not a 090° ground track. Our guide to setting the heading bug and understanding HDG mode explains how this appears in common simulator autopilots.

Why do my simulator’s heading, DTK and track disagree?

Disagreement between heading, DTK and track usually reflects different quantities or north references rather than a simulator fault.

1. Identify each label. Confirm whether the display shows heading, actual track, desired track, selected course or bearing to the waypoint.
2. Match the north references. A magnetic cockpit heading and a true map track will differ by both magnetic variation and wind drift. Changing a map between north-up and track-up does not necessarily change whether its figures are true or magnetic.
3. Check groundspeed. Ignore erratic GNSS track while stationary, during very slow taxiing or immediately after loading a flight.
4. Check wind and autopilot mode. HDG mode holds the nose direction; NAV or LNAV aims to follow the route. Also remember that a northerly wind comes from the north.
5. Check the active leg. DTK follows the programmed route, while bearing points directly from the aircraft to the waypoint. They separate when the aircraft is off course and may also vary along long or curved route segments.

A small remaining true-versus-magnetic discrepancy can result from different magnetic models or model dates used by the simulator, avionics and planner. A large difference is more likely to be wind, an unmatched reference or confusion between DTK and actual track.

The dependable rule is to use heading for the direction of the nose, track for movement over the ground, and true north or magnetic north only as the reference from which that direction is measured.