There seems to a huge misunderstanding here.  What I and others on this thread are requesting is the display of the magnetic bearing to the next waypoint.  It is and always has been a feature of every aviation GPS ever made.  It is often displayed as 'BRG'.  SD does actually already generate this number, but you have to fiddle about to see it.

What users seem to want is BRG to be constantly displayed in large text in the same panel as 'GS', 'DST NXT', 'ETA NXT'.  It would be user-selectable from the Instruments menu in the same way as those I've listed above are.

Why is it useful? I'm shocked that SD would say "...there is nothing you can do with that number". Which is why I must assume that there is a misunderstanding.

An obvious example of what you can do with that number is when you need to divert. If I hit some weather and need to divert, I can use the Direct To function to find a nearby airfield but I want a heading and I want it now!  With BRG clearly displayed, I can turn the aircraft on to that heading, make a rough correction for wind and even if I deviate from the magenta line for any reason, I ALWAYS know the magnetic bearing to my destination.

Now let's say I overshoot my destination for some reason - as we all know, some airfields are notoriously difficult to see from the air. The magenta line is no help now because I've overshot, but the BRG display constantly tells me where the airfield is!

So in the real world you DO take that number and match it to the aircraft's DI!  You are correct - that on its own does not take drift into account, but even a novice pilot knows how to make a mental correction for the estimated wind. And if the range to the diversion is relatively short, it will work out. 

SD:  In many ways you have a good product but I can see no reason for pride in being the ONLY aviation GPS to not include this most basic and vital feature!

Does that clear up the misunderstanding?

We do not show you a number because there is nothing you can do with that number. The number we could show would be true or magnetic track. You can't take that number and match with your compass or DI because it doesn't take wind drift into account. We sometimes know what the wind forecast is, but certainly not what the actual wind is doing. That's why matching up the bug on the rose is a good way of doing it. Or touch the rose to turn it into a correction indicator, which can simply tell you to turn right or left by X degrees.

I just want to include my view on this, as I really want an option to include a number which displays actual leg (and next leg's) heading/magnetic track. The Pilot log provides me with all the information I need, but it would be perfect and a LOT better if this would also be presented on the dynamic navigating display in SD. There are (imo) several numbers on the left hand screen that I never use and find a million times less important than the magnetic track. There should be more options for these left hand numbers, and magnetic track should be one of them =)

Ive read in this thread that the way one is supposed to deal with this problem is to turn the aircraft till the extended line from the aircraft is matching the  magneta line / next waypoint. But this is very cumbersome! Whats better to be "told" when you are piloting your aircraft: "turn more, turn more, turn a little more, just a little bit more, no too much a little bit back..." or "turn heading 054".. I would yell "jeez, just give me the bearing in numbers!!!" And thats exactly how I feel every time I try to turn to the next leg... Why is using paper (printer Pilot log) much more convenient than looking at the dynamic screen, it should not be that way...

(this is only in regard to this exact problem, I love SD for most of the other things! But I must say this is rather annoying... There is a reason many other navigation companies include the bearing, and it is not just because of history... In my opinion). 

EDIT: The magnetic track number pops up when overflying a waypoint where next leg has a different heading. This is very good, but this is the number I would like to see e.g. on the left hand side, in stead of "track T" for instance... Again, for every leg the way it is now, I have to "long press" the next leg and hit leg properties... Not very convenient =)

I've been using SD since it was "Sky Angel" and I've noticed that there is a healthy negativity to some suggestions before it is taken seriously and makes it to the next stage. Think about the support for iPads !!
I say "healthy" because when Tim comes back in a negative vein, it prompts more people come out of the woodwork and comment. From this he can gauge whether it is really worth involving expensive time writing or modifying the software to include the new suggestion.
I would suggest that if it is not a big undertaking to include the BRG option, why not set it up as an option in the "settings" as many other things are, and let the user decide if he/she wants it or not? 
P.S.  I absolutely love SD for its ease of use and ability to "get it the way you want it" And if it's not in the aircraft when I'm flying, then I'm practicing my circuits!!

I don't understand why including BRG in the Instruments menu causes clutter.  Surely users can choose to display it, or not.  Am I correct?

timwatson, I believe we've already commented in this thread and others as to why we can't see enough justification for adding this instrument.
You've correctly noted that we're perhaps the only GPS software that doesn't show this number in large text onscreen at all times. We're also by far the most popular aviation GPS software in Europe. In my opinion these two facts are not unrelated. People in general appreciate the fact that we don't display stuff that doesn't need to be displayed.

This is how I see it. A BRG instrument provides a constantly updated bearing, uncorrected for wind, from one's current position to the next waypoint (completely superfluous when following the magenta line). If a diversion becomes necessary, before the BRG instrument can provide a bearing to the diversion airfield, a Direct To will first have to be performed, at which point SD flags up the heading required, corrected for wind and the BRG instrument immediately becomes redundant for this purpose. It seems to me, therefore, that a BRG instrument is of little practical value and would just clutter the screen. Although most other GPS navigation packages do provide a BRG instrument, it seems to me they are just following a convention established a long time ago without any original thought process. It is because SD does not follow the herd and dares to be different that uniquely sets it apart from others, and which has resulted in it becoming a market leader in the field.

I hasten to add that, other than being a very satisfied user, I have no affiliation with SD.

Mike
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I realise that there are various ways to extract the BRG information but I do not understand why BRG cannot be made available as an 'Instrument' - up there in big numbers on the screen.
I cannot think of a single aviation GPS that does not have this very basic feature.  SD - can you explain why you don't, please?

Why not use the Direct To function or the Insert in Route function. SD will immediately give you the new heading to steer and if you're not immediately sure which way to turn, because you have no DI perhaps, and you want to avoid mental gymnastics in the heat of the moment, pull the compass rose out from the bottom of the screen to give you the HSI representation and the magenta heading bug will clearly indicate which way to turn to get on to your new heading.

Alternatively, use the ruler function which will provide you with a 'Direct To' heading and distance.

Mike
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I'd like, if I may to re-start this discussion in the hope that the good folks at SkyDemon will think again about their decision to not include a prominent display of BRG to a waypoint.
Here's why:
If I find myself running into poor weather and I decide to divert to an airfield in the 'Direct To' list.  I want a bearing to the airfield, and I want it now! I also want to be able to read it quickly and easily. I will use my DI or compass to steer the aircraft on to that bearing. I will worry about making a correction for wind in a moment.  For now, I just want to get on to a heading for that airfield.

There are other scenarios in which I would want to see prominently the current bearing to the waypoint. Yes, it is shown (sometimes) near the compass rose at the bottom of the screen, but that is tiny!  I need to put on reading glasses to read that - especially on an iPhone.
Here's the thing: I may be wrong, but I'm guessing that SkyDemon is probably the only aviation GPS that does not show BRG (sometimes DCT) as primary information.
Take a look a look at the image below. Six GPS screens, taken at random: you'll recognise WingX Pro, VFR Nav, AirNav Pro. Over to you!