Editing Automatic direction finder (section)

==Stages==
===Station passage===
As an aircraft nears an NDB station, the ADF becomes increasingly sensitive, small lateral deviations result in large deflections of the needle which sometimes shows erratic left/right oscillations.<ref>{{cite book | last=Tait | first=Bob | title=CPL Navigation | location=Archerfield, Queensland| publisher=Bob Tait's Aviation Theory School | year=2008  | oclc=224434684}}</ref> Ideally, as the aircraft overflies the beacon, the needle swings rapidly from directly ahead to directly behind. This indicates ''station passage'' and provides an accurate position fix for the navigator. Less accurate station passage, passing slightly to one side or another, is shown by slower (but still rapid) swinging of the needle. The time interval from the first indications of station proximity to positive station passage varies with altitude — a few moments at low levels to several minutes at high altitude.

===Homing===
The ADF may be used to ''home'' in on a station. Homing is flying the aircraft on the heading required to keep the needle pointing directly to the 0° (straight ahead) position. To home into a station, tune the station, identify the Morse code signal, then turn the aircraft to bring the ADF azimuth needle to the 0° position. Turn to keep the ADF heading indicator pointing directly ahead. Homing is regarded as poor piloting technique because the aircraft may be blown significantly or dangerously off-course by a cross-wind, and will have to fly further and for longer than the direct track.

===Tracking===
The ADF may also be used to ''track'' a desired course using an ADF and allowing for winds aloft, winds which may blow the aircraft off-course. Good pilotage technique has the pilot calculate a correction angle that exactly balances the expected crosswind. As the flight progresses, the pilot monitors the direction to or from the NDB using the ADF, adjusts the correction as required. A direct track will yield the shortest distance and time to the ADF location.<ref name="PHAK" />