Push the Head and Pull Tail of a Bearing Pointer

When using a bearing pointer to fly a course to or from a station, the simple trick of pushing the head or pulling the tail of the needle will get you on course.
The basic concept is that you find a heading that will "push" the head of the needle to the course that you want to fly. Conversely when flying away from the station your find a heading that will "pull" the tail of the needle to the outbound course.
This simple concept is great to keep in your head while flying instruments. Whether you are flying an NDB approach, GPS bearing, or an RMI, you will be able to get on course and stay on course.

[@ibsn87]

Many will still be confused if they can’t orientate themselves in relation to the aid... If you picture the plane symbol IS the ground aid. And now know the tail is ALWAYS the radial you are on. You can orientate yourself accordingly. If your (tail points to 180) you know your on the 180 radial relative to the aid, and now if you want to track the 170 radial in... You know you need to make a right turn, plus add an intercept angle.

[@tonyr.2321]

Simply: To intercept inbound radial fly 30 dg away your intended radial. To intercept outbound radial fly 30 dg towards your intended radial.

[@Nahiyanize]

Thanks so much! I was having troubles with ADFs but this rule is very simple and works very well

[@blackmail891]

Simple and very easy to apply without having to think too much, the worst thing you can do is turn the wrong way and then realise half way through the turn you have gone the wrong way, this would be a fail on a IFR flight test. Well done.

[@bb19288]

This video is JUST what ı was looking for. Thanks a lot for this simple explanation!

[@rbrudder]

Great explanation. Thanks.

[@RaviSehdev]

Very well explained. I ❤ this channel...

[@Klaviation]

+Ravi Sehdev Thank you!

[@a.nasongo3152]

best explanation video I’ve had

[@marshallhyasi6213]

So does this mean at 3:25 if we want to bring the tail from 315 to 350 we should turn the aircraft to the right ? And how fast or slow we want to intercept depends on what number you choose as your heading ex(60 faster than 30)?

[@darrenchan2797]

Thanks for the illustration. It looks like you have to turn to the opposite side of the needle in both cases of tracking TO and FROM station. While using RMI, I found that when tracking TO a stn, you have to turn to the same direction where the intended track lies, is it correct?

[@ballsweatpourhomme1606]

Wow! That was explained so incredibly well!

[@maheralazzawi7814]

very good

[@jimallen8186]

Heads Always Fall Like the French Revolution; Tails Always Rise Like a Scared Skunk. This enables you to Push Head Pull Tail.

[@henryball6711]

I personally prefer not to use this approach to adf intercepts in a practical situation just because it pushes forward a bit of a rote learning attitude to the exercise. By all means it’s fine for written exams the “ bug to tail + or - 30 etc”. In a practical context I think It’s better to be able to have a mental picture of where you are in relation to the aid by using the DG as a ‘birds eye’ view and imagining the track you want to intercept inbound or outbound and then deciding on the direction to turn because it builds situational awareness and it also makes it much easier to visualise inbound to outbound intercepts and vice versa. That’s just my opinion though. Feel free to disagree with me.

[@iCompli]

Will - Sure this is right? If I'm on a 360 HDG tracking in to the station, on a QDM of 360 but want to be tracking inbound on a 030 QDM, I agree I have to 'push the head'. If I turn left on to your suggested HDG of 330, the needle on my fixed card ADF will IMMEDIATELY rotate to 030. HDG+RB=QDM. To get on to the desired inbound 030 HDG I have to fly on a HDG of 330 until the head of the needle is 'pushed' to 060. If I then turn my aircraft onto the desired HDG of 030, the head of the nedle will 'fall' to '0'. HDG+RB=QDM or 030+0=030.

[@capncrunch9313]

Difficult explanation

[@Davi3038849844]

The tail part for sure

[@joepasint2487]

The worst. Clear as mud.

[@nathanflynn7781]

This is completely wrong

[@MscPro1]

hahahaha