NAVIGATION

Plane Sailing

The Plane Sailing method is used to find the approximated

course and distance between two positions that are on different
latitudes. Since the track is cutting all meridians at the same
angle, Plane Sailing is also one of the methods of Rhumb Line
Sailing. In a short distance, a rhumb line appears as straight line,
but the track is actually a curve and, if extended, it will eventually
spiral in on the North or South Pole. Because the unit of latitude
is not the same as the unit of longitude, the difference of
longitude has to be calculated to become departure, which is
expressed as a latitude unit. To find the true departure, the
middle latitude has to be used, which does not lie between two
latitudes. The middle latitude can be found by applying the
correction to the mean latitude. This correction can be tabulated
in the table reproduced in the nautical table section of this book.
However, for a short distance of less than 600 miles, the mean
latitude can be used and the error is acceptable. For a longer
distance, the Mercator Sailing method should be used.
Procedure to
find the 1. Calculate D. Lat., D. Long. and mean latitude (Latm);
course and
distance 2. Calculate departure by using formula:

Dep.  D. Long.  cosLatm 

3. Calculate course (C) and distance (D) by using formula:


C  tan1
Dep.  D. Lat.
  D
 D. Lat.  cosC

Example 1 Using mean latitude to find the course and distance

between: A: 2715N 7123W B: 2822N
6818W

Lat.A
2715N Long.A 7123W Lat.A 2715N
Lat.B 2811N Long.B 6818W 1
2 D. Lat. 28
D. Lat. 56(N) D. Long. 185(E) Lat.m 2743N

Dep.  D. Long.cosLatm

 185 cos2743  163.77

C  tan1
 Dep.  tan 1  163.77   71.1
D. Lat. 56
   
CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK
 NAVIGATION

D. Lat. 56
D   173.1miles
cosC cos71.1

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 Course  N71.1E  071.1T
Distance  173.1miles

Example 2 Using mean latitude and middle latitude to find the course
and distance between:

A: 3515N 6223W B: 3025N 7018W

Using mean latitude

Lat.A 3515N Long.A 6223W Lat.A 3515N
Lat.B 3025N Long.B 7018W 1
2 D. Lat. 225N
D. Lat. 290(S) D. Long. 475( W) Lat.m 3250N

Dep.  D. Long. cos  Latm   475 cos3250 

399.1 
C  tan1  Dep.   1  
D. Lat. tan   54
   
D. Lat. 290
D   493.4miles
cosC cos54

Course  S54W 
234T Distance 
493.4miles

Using middle latitude Mean Lat. 3250 N

Correction 24 N
Middle Lat. 3226 N

Dep.  D. Long. cos  Latm   475 cos3226  400.9


C  tan1
 Dep.   tan1    54.1
D. Lat. 
   

D. Lat. 290
D   494.8miles
cosC cos54.1

Course  S54.1W  234.1T

Distance  494.8miles

The result between using mean latitude and middle latitude is

slightly different, but not significant.
Example 3 A vessel steams a course 050°T, distance 500 miles, from
position 40°25´S 175°50´E. Find final position:

Final Latitude

D. Lat.
Distance 
cosC
D.Lat.  DistancecosC
D.Lat.  500 cos50  321.39  521.39(N)

Initial Latitude 4025.00S

D.Lat. 521.39(N)
Final Latitude 3503.61S

Final Longitude

Dep.  D. Lat. tanC  321.39 t an50  383.02

521.39
Mean Lat.(Lat )  4025   3744.31
m
2

D.Long.  Dep. 383.02  484.34  804.34(E)


cosLatm cos3744.31

Initial Longitude 17550.00E

D.Long. 804.34(E)
18354.34
36000.00
Final Longitude 17605.66W

Final Position: 3503.61 S 17605.66W