《Aerobasics_—_An_introduction_to_Aeronautics_14_Air_navigation_principles》.pdfVIP

SERIES ARTICLE Aerobasics – An Introduction to Aeronautics 14. Air Navigation Principles S P Govinda Raju Air navigation has evolved over the last hundred years from an art into a mature science. Airplane accidents due to navigational errors are practi- cally nonexistent. In large measure this advance has been due to radio aids to navigation which operate under all weather conditions. However S P Govinda Raju retired in remote areas and in hostile airspaces, the radio as professor from the aids may not be available and a fully self con- Department of Aerospace tained navigational device is required. Naviga- Engineering, Indian tion by stars (celestial navigation) is feasible un- Institute of Science in 2003. He is currently der such conditions. But the inertial navigation active as a consultant in system (INS) is the preferred choice. In recent wind tunnel testing and times, a navigational instrument based on radio teaches short term courses communication with specially designed satellites in aerodynamics and flight in low Earth orbits called the global positioning mechanics. system (GPS) has become popular. This article deals with the principles of these various meth- ods of air navigation. Previous parts: 1. Introduction Resonance, Vol.13: p.836,