Hi Rich or Bob,

Im having extreme difficulty in every sense of the word and am running out of hair on my head and pens amongst other things to throw at the wall.
I hope this does not sound silly.
Exercise 9 in the IREX book I am having trouble wrapping my head around?? I think the hardest concept I'm struggling to grasp is the turn onto the required inbound or outbound radial or track and what heading to intercept it from. In saying this I understand this is a method solely for the exam. but is it always whatever number (FPT or actual track) goes above the other one? also if its tracking to the ndb is it opposite.. Im sure it is something simple but i just cannot grasp it!! any feed back or perhaps an explanation in some other way would greatly help. Im fine when it says im tracking away from the NDB but if im tracking to the NDB is where i am coming unstuck.

Im super lost.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when dealing with this type of question. Read this with the book open at Exercise 9 beside you.

IF YOU ARE OUTBOUND
QUESTION 1 Am I left or right of the required outbound track?
Use the HAT TRICK to find your present bearing from the station. If your present bearing is a smaller number than the required outbound track, you are left of the required track. If your present bearing is a greater number than the required outbound track, you are right of the required track.
QUESTION 2 Which way should I turn to intercept the required track?
If you are left of the required track, turn right. If you are right of the required track, turn left.
QUESTION 3 What heading should I use to intercept the required track?
The heading to use for the intercept is up to you, but let's assume you chose to make a 30° intercept. Turn onto a heading that is 30° on the other side of the required track.
QUESTION 4 How do you know that you have intercepted the required track?
When the ADF needle is 30° off the tail you have intercepted the required track.

IF YOU ARE INBOUND
QUESTION 1 Am I left or right of the required inbound track?
Use the HAT TRICK to find your present bearing to the station. If your present bearing is a smaller number than the required inbound track, you are right of the required track. If your present bearing is a greater number than the required inbound track, you are left of the required track.
QUESTION 2 Which way should I turn to intercept the required track?
If you are left of the required track, turn right. If you are right of the required track, turn left.
QUESTION 3 What heading should I use to intercept the required track?
The heading to use for the intercept is up to you, but let's assume you chose to make a 30° intercept. Turn onto a heading that is 30° on the other side of the required track.
QUESTION 4 How do you know that you have intercepted the required track?
When the ADF needle is 30° off the nose you have intercepted the required track.

Note that your present bearing to or from the station is only used to establish which side of the required track you are on. Once you know whether you are left or right of the required track, you have no further interest in your bearing to or from the station. The intercept heading is based on the required track.

thank you very much. I know that it was a really simple answer but for me it was one of those things I was struggling to grasp, very appreciative, thank you.

Side note my book is from October 2014? how many big changes are there from the current version to mine? I can't imagine anything to drastic.

cheers