The formula to calculate the Track Error (E) using the 1 in 60 rule is:
\[ E = \frac{D \times \theta}{60} \]
Where:
Let's say the distance flown (\( D \)) is 120 nautical miles and the angle of deviation (\( \theta \)) is 2 degrees. Using the formula:
\[ E = \frac{120 \times 2}{60} \]
We get:
\[ E = 4 \text{ nautical miles} \]
So, the Track Error (\( E \)) is 4 nautical miles.
The 1 in 60 rule is a rule of thumb in aviation where a one-degree error in the flight path will produce a track error of approximately 1 nautical mile after 60 nautical miles of flight. It is used for quick mental calculations for navigation and error correction, particularly in visual flight conditions. The rule is based on the small-angle approximation of trigonometry.
