Which navigation method relies solely on calculations using indicated airspeed, track, wind, and elapsed time?

• A. Dead reckoning
• B. Pilotage
• C. Radio navigation
• D. Celestial navigation

Answer: (A)

Dead reckoning is the navigation method that estimates position by doing calculations based on speed, course, wind, and elapsed time from a known point. You start with your current position, use your indicated airspeed and the track you’re following, adjust for wind to find the actual ground speed and path, and multiply that by the elapsed time to determine how far you’ve traveled. Repeating this process keeps your estimated position updated without needing any external references. This is in contrast to methods that rely on landmarks (pilotage), radio signals (radio navigation), or celestial bodies (celestial navigation). For example, if your wind-corrected ground speed along the track is 120 knots and you fly for 0.5 hours, you’d cover about 60 nautical miles and update your position accordingly.