Definition
A cockpit instrument that displays the bearing to a radio transmitter, showing the pilot the direction from which a received signal is coming. It is the display element of a direction finding system, presenting the relative or magnetic bearing to the signal source on a dial or pointer.
Plain English
A gauge in the cockpit that points toward the radio station you are tuned to, so you can see what direction the signal is coming from.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft equipment lists, radio navigation discussions, and acronym lists for cockpit navigation instruments.
Derivation
The name describes the function directly: an indicator (a dial or pointer) that finds direction by sensing where a radio signal is arriving from. It comes from early radio navigation, when ground stations and aircraft used loop antennas to determine the direction of a transmitter.
Why Pilots Care
Helps pilots navigate directly toward or away from a radio beacon when other references are limited.
Intuition Check
Do not read “indicator” as the whole direction-finding system. The indicator is the part that displays the direction information to the pilot.
Example Sentence 1
With the station tuned in, the pilot glanced at the direction finding indicator and confirmed the bearing was steady on the nose.
Example Sentence 2
With the DFI centered, the aircraft was tracking directly toward the station.