Atlantic Flight Training Ltd

Chapter 2.
Position on the Earth

Angular Measurement
navigation.

The Sexagesimal system of measuring angles is used in

The angle subtended by an arc equal to 1/360 part of the circumference of a

Degree
circle.

Each degree is split into 60 minutes

Each minute is split into 60 seconds

Any angle is expressed in terms of degrees, minutes and seconds.

Example

010N 32 24

In navigation:

North is 000

East is 090

South is 180

West is 270

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Where a direction is given it is convention to use three figures eg 90 is reported as 090.

Angles are always measured in a clockwise direction from North.
Position Reference System

Accurately

Unambiguously

In navigation it is necessary to pinpoint an aircraft:

The Cartesian System is the simplest and most effective.

X1
Y1

Point A can be defined as the position X1Y1.

The Cartesian System is good for work on a flat plane. For position on the Earth a similar
system can be employed. The point A can still be referred to by reference to X and Y or as an
angular measurement, in this case and .

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In the case below Point A is defined in two ways:
As a position X1Y1, or
As an angular displacement

Y
A
Y1

X
X1

Latitude and Longitude

defined:

The above diagram shows how Latitude and Longitude are

The X axis is the Equator and is defined as 0 Latitude

The Y axis is aligned to the Greenwich Meridian (the Prime Meridian) and is 0
longitude

Latitude
The latitude is expressed as the arc along the meridian between the Equator
and that point. Latitude has values up to 90 and is annotated with the hemisphere where the
point is situated.
Example
Parallels of Latitude

40 25N or 40 25S
Apart from the Equator all Parallels of Latitude are small circles.
NP

Latitude

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Longitude
The longitude is the shorter angular distance between the Prime Meridian
and the meridian passing through the point. Like Latitude, Longitude is expressed in degrees
and minutes and is annotated east and west depending whether the point lies East or West of
the Prime Meridian. Longitude cannot be greater than 180W or 180E.
NP

Example

Longitude

165 35W or 165 35E

180
North
Pole
0
West

East

Position Using Latitude and Longitude

Position on the Earth is always
expressed as Latitude first then Longitude. The lines that form the Parallels of Latitude and
the Meridians are called the graticule. By using the graticule position on the Earth can be
determined.

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55N

54N

.C
53N

52N

.B
51N

003W

002W

001W

001E

002E

In the above diagram:

Position A

53N 0E/W

Position B

51 30N 001 30W

Position C

53 30N 001 30E

Change of Latitude (Ch Lat)

parallels of latitude.

Ch Lat is the shortest arc along a meridian between two

Change
of
Latitude

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Calculation of Change of Latitude

Where two points are in the same hemisphere the
Ch Lat is the difference between the two points.
Example 1

STEP 1

Point A is 20 30N and point B is 41 30N. If an aircraft is travelling

from A to B what is the Ch Lat.
First calculate the difference between the two points in
degrees and minutes.
4130 2030 = 21

STEP 2

The direction of the change must be noted.

In this case the aircraft is travelling North so the Ch Lat is:
21N

The term Ch Lat and D Lat can be used. If Ch Lat is required than the answer is given in
degrees and minutes. If D Lat is required then the answer is given in minutes alone. For
Example 1 the answer would change to:
STEP 3

The D Lat is the Ch Lat expressed in minutes alone.

Remember that there are 60 in 1.
D Lat is:
21 x 60 = 1260N

Where the two points are in different hemispheres the solution is the sum of the two latitudes.
Example 2

STEP 1

Point A is 20 30N and point B is 41 30S. If an aircraft is travelling

from A to B what is the Ch Lat.
Calculate the difference between the two points
4130 + 2030 = 62

STEP 2

The direction of the change must be noted.

In this case the aircraft is travelling South so the Ch Lat is:
62S

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Position Example 1

Calculate the Ch Lat and Dlat for the following (assume the
aircraft is travelling from the first position to the second).
Answers can be found at the end of the Chapter.

Position A

Position B

54 35N

67 34N

23 33S

47 56S

33 47N

23 55S

27 25N

07 44N

30 45S

78 33N

Ch Lat

D Lat

Mean Latitude Mean Lat (Mlat)

You may be required to calculate the Mlat. Mean
Latitude is the mid-point between two latitudes. If the two latitudes are in the same
hemisphere then the Mlat is found by adding the two values; this figure is then divided by 2.
This is the Mlat.
Example 3
STEP 1

Calculate the Mlat for the positions 65N and 25N.

Add the two values of Latitude.
65 + 25 = 90

STEP 2

Divide the figure found in STEP 1 by 2

90 2 = 45 = 45N
This is Mlat

If the positions are in different hemispheres then the Mlat is found by adding the two latitudes
together; this figure is then divided by two. The figure found is then subtracted from the higher
value. The higher latitude determines which hemisphere the Mlat is in.
Example 4
STEP 1

Calculate the Mlat for 65N and 25S.

Add the two values together.
65 + 25 = 90

STEP 2

Divide the figure found in STEP 1 by 2

90 2 = 45

STEP 3

Subtract the figure found in STEP 2 from the higher latitude

65 - 45 = 20N
Remember the higher value determines the latitude that Mlat
is in.

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Change of Longitude (Ch Long)

To express the difference between two meridians, Ch
Long, the smaller arc is used. Values are expressed in exactly the same manner as Ch Lat.
Remember that the value of Ch Long can never exceed 180. The suffixes E and W are used
in regard to the direction of travel.

Change of
Longitude

Example 1
Calculate the Ch Long between position A 165W and position B
103W. Assume that the aircraft is flying from A to B.
STEP 1

Find the numerical difference between A and B.

165 103 = 62E

165 W
103 W

West

East

Remember that clockwise measurement is west.

Example 2

STEP 1

Calculate the Ch Long between position A 165W and position B

165E. Assume that the aircraft is flying from A to B.
It is obvious the shortest distance between the two points is
by crossing the 180 meridian.
The difference between 165 and 180 is 15

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The Ch Long is therefore 30W because the movement is
clockwise

165 W

165E

West

Position Example 2

East

Calculate the Ch Long and Dlong for the following (assume

the aircraft is travelling from the first position to the second).

Position A

Position B

009 33W

156 45W

153 33E

078 44E

144 23W

102 33E

077 55W

178 44E

143 24E

179 15E

Ch Long

D Long

Mean Longitude
Mean Longitude is calculated in the same way as Mean Latitude.
Rarely used in navigation, Mean Longitude will not be discussed further.

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Answers to Position Examples

Position Example 1
Position A

Position B

Ch Lat

D Lat

54 35N

67 34N

1259N

779N

23 33S

47 56S

2423S

1463S

33 47N

23 55S

5742S

3462S

27 25N

07 44N

1941S

1181S

30 45S

78 33N

10918N

6558N

Position A

Position B

Ch Long

D Long

009 33W

156 45W

147 12W

8832

153 33E

078 44E

74 49W

4489

144 23W

102 33E

11304W

6784

077 55W

178 44E

10321W

6201

143 24E

179 15E

3551E

2151

Position Example 2

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