quote:

Originally posted by MastersMate:
The aviation version of shipboard relative bearings, pointing out where an object is in relation to your ship. Aircraft use a clock system, with 12 o'clock being directly in front, three o'clock being off the right or starboard beam, six o'clock being directly in back,or astern, and nine o'clock being off the left or port beam.

It is a long held belief among sea going folks, that the reason for using the simplified clock system is because aviation people are regularly exposed to regions with less than adequate oxygen supplies and the brain just cannot grasp uncomplicated bearing calculations that are a routine operation for their sea going bretheren.