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Today's RMI pointers: the ADF and RMI are becoming tools of a bygone era, but their descendant has a useful niche even in an all-glass cockpit.

Article Excerpt
When I purchased my new airplane, I was astounded by the features and the available information on its G1000. But I soon realized my old airplane had more display variations with round gauges, two IFR GPSs, a VFR GPS and a VOR.

I've learned that the oft-unused bearing pointers provide a great supplement to the standard G1000 display. Being old-school by training, I think of these pointers as modern analogs to the old RMIs used with ADF and VOR stations.

The head of the pointer points at the VOR or active waypoint and the tail shows what radial you're currently on. Bearing pointers home on VORs or active GPS waypoints, including airports or intersections. If you have an ADF installed, it also displays using a pointer.

You typically use bearing pointers for supporting information and cross-checks. But because they are displayed on the HSI, they are readily visible during the normal scan and, as such, provide an almost automatic situational awareness.

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If you are navigating using a GPS flight plan, you'll rarely see the needle pointing aft. Exceptions are on vectors, outbound for a procedure turn, or in a hold. If you see the needle pointing...

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