04/08/2025
🫡🫡🫡A direct reading compass
provides a pilot with a direct indication of the aircraft's heading relative to magnetic north. It's a fundamental instrument for navigation, particularly in light aircraft where it serves as the primary magnetic reference, and in larger aircraft as a standby compass according to aviation publications. These compasses are designed to be reliable and require minimal maintenance, relying on the Earth's magnetic field rather than external power
Magnetic Variation
The earth's true and magnetic north poles are not coincident and there is, in fact, some considerable geographic distance between the two. At most locations there will be an angular difference between the magnetic north and true north, and this difference is known as magnetic variation.
On the shortest distance line joining the true and magnetic poles, variation at any point is theoretically 180º, whereas elsewhere on a line joining the two, known as an agonic line, variation is zero.
At locations where magnetic north lies to the east of true north, variation is said to be easterly. At points where magnetic north lies to the west of true north, variation is said to be westerly.
Magnetic variation at any point on the earth's surface can be plotted and is shown on charts as a series of lines joining points of equal variation, known as isogonals.
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