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DIRECTION
MAGNETIC DIP
It is a well-established characteristic of the Earth's magnetic field that the constituent lines of magnetic
force are atmost everywhere inclined, to some degree, with respect to the local plane of the Earth's
surface.
As the magnetic
poles are approached, the lines of magnetic force dip progressively further and further
below the horizontal, and a freely-suspended bar magnet will also tend to dip and attempt to align itself
parallelto them.
At the so-called llagnetic Equator, which in general follows the geographic Equator around the Earth
to within 110'of latitude, the lines of magnetic force are aligned parallelto the Earth's surface, i.e.
they are etfectively horizontal.
However, in the southern
part of Australia, for example, a freely-suspended bar magnet would dip down
towards the south by approximately 60' to the horizontal. ln the northern regions of the U.K., the same
magnet would dip down towards the north by almost 70".
The angle between the axis of a bar magnet and the horizontal
plane, at any
point on the Earth's
$rface, is referred to as the Angle of Magnetic Dip.
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Fig.3-16. Magnetic Dip lnueases towards the Poles.
Iegnetic dipis zeroalong the Magnetic Equator, and progressively increasestowards 90" at the North
d-South Magnetic Poles (i.e. at these two points a bar magnet would attempt to point straight down).
Tb magnitude of the magnetic field anywhere on the Earth may be resolved into two separate
crFnents:
o a verticalcomponent (by agreed convention, referred to as the Z component), which is responsible
f'or causing a bar magnet to dip below the horizontal plane; and
e a horizontal component (the H componenf), acting parallel to the Earth's surface, and which
constitutes the primary directional force of the total magnetic field.
"*
Theory Centre
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CPL NAVIGATION
_
BASIC NAVIGATION THEORY
STROI{G
H0R lz0r{TAL C0r'{P0t{EtlT
{ : - . - t
IITAKER
n0Rl t0I{TAL C01{P0l {El {T
Xear Equat or
-
t l O OI P
st r ong hor l t ont r l conponent
ITAGITETIC Col ,tPASS tS G000
X e r r l h g n e t l c P o l e ' 0 I P
xeaker hor l r ont al conponent
r,rAGr{ETtC C0I{PASS l S P00R
Fig.3-17. Dip is caused by the Verticat Component of the Earth's Magnetic Field.
The direct-reading magnetic compasses fitted to aircraft are intended to react to the directional
component of the Earthts magneticfield, i.e. the horizonfalcomponent only. Consequently, in the lower
latitudes, close to the magneiic equator, where this horizontal component is predominant, a magnetic
compass will be quite stable and accurate.
However, as latitude increases towards the magnetic poles, the strength of the horizontal component
relativeto the vertical component decreases, due to increasing magnetic dip, and this tends to make
the magnetic compass a much less effective directional indicator. In fact, it is generallyaccepte_d that,
in latitudes higherthan 60' North or South, the magnetic compass is an unreliable directional indicator.
Obviously, a completely free-swinging compass needle would be a totally unsatisfactory directional
indicator in an aircrafi, as the progressively-worsening etfects of magnetic dip would render it
practically unusable, even in relatively low latitudes. To optimise its directional capabilities.over a
broader rlnge of latitudes, it is necessary to ensure that the magnetic-sensitive assembly is kept as
close to horizontal as possible at alltimes.
The usual method used to minimise the natural tendency of the compass magnet to incline, as it
attempts to align itself with the lines of magnetic force, is to pivot it at a point above its centre of gravity
(CG), i.e. a pendulous suspension system is employed.
VERTI CAL
COMPONENT
OF
DI P FORCE
LI NE OF MAGNETI C
LrJ
Z-',
SOUTH POLE
OF EARTH
Gr a v i t y
( CG)
NORTTI POLE
OF EARTH
SOUTH POLE
OF EARTH
NORTH POLE
OF EARTH
/
MAGNET
NEAR EQUATOR
IN SOUTHSRN HE}4ISPHERE
Fig.3-18. The Compass Needle's CG is Displaced to Counteract the Effect of Magnetic Dip.
t ent r e
3
- ' 12 AoiationTheory Centre
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_
D'RECTION
of
the compass
The greater the magnetic dip, the greater the tendency
magnet
to dip towards the
nearer magnetic
pole, and, as a result of the pendulous suspension method, the more the magnet's
GG 1s dispfaced away from the pivot point. This generates a counteracting momenf (force) that tends
lo balancethe dipping force, so keeping the needle in an approximately horizontal position.
The compass will, therefore, be much more sensitive to the horizontal (directional) component of the
Earth's magnetic field, and maintain useful accuracy into much higher latitudes than does a simple,
un-augmenled compass needle. Only a small amounl of residual drp (usually less than 3") will be
evident in latitudes less than about 60"N or S.
TURNTNG AND ACCELERATION ERRORS OF THE MAGNETIC COMPASS
The residual dip of the compass magnet means that, at any position located away from the Earth's
Magnetic Equator, the CG and the pivot point are not aligned. The CG is displaced slightly from the
pivot point, in a direction away from the nearer magnetic pole (i.e. in the Southern Hemisphere, the
bG is Oispta ced north ot the pivot point). This displacement is increased whenever the aircraft is banked
during a turn.
The displacement of the CG from the pivot point leads to transient Indication errors by the compass
wfienever the aircraft is turned or accelerated.
These transient indication errors of the magnetic compass are studied in some detail in another CPL
efiiect (Engines, Systems and lnstruments), but it is appropriate to present a brief summary of them
fiere:
Turning Errors
T1rning errors are at a maximum when turning through headings of Magnetic North and Magnetic
Souilr, and are zero turning through east and west.
yyherf
turning through a heading towards the nearer Magnetic Pole, compass indications tend to be
:faggrsf,', ant will uhder-estlmate the extent of a turn (for both left and right turns). The opposite case
mrrrrrrrtes
when turning an aireraft through a heading towards lhe more dlstant Magnetic Pole, with
i f uns t endi ng t b overshoot t he act ual headi ng. Turni ng errors are onl y evi dent when t urni ng
frErrgtt northerly or southerly headings.
b f.rming errors occur when turning through easterly or westerly headings.
S...^
uX,
P-$
il
r H
,/5'\ lr
s)**
16-\ & 'TEADY
f n )
J--
SPEED
\@
;>
a
Fig.3-19. Compass tndications Overshoot the Actual Heading when turning
through North in the Southern Hemisphere.
"*
Tby Centre
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I
CPL NAVIGATION
_
BASIC NAVIGATION THEORY
For exampfe, consider an aircraft in the south ern Hemispherethatis
maintaining a heading
of 340'M,
and which is required to turn right onto " n"aoing of o+o'y. rf the turn is to made
pure*y by reference
to the magnetic compass,
the Pilot should dlliberately
overshoot
the desired heading'
by ap-
proximately ZO" (the -lact amount O"p"nOl up* tne ratd of.turn), until 060'M is indiated' and then
level the wings. He should then allow ihe' indi;ations
to stabilise,
ind when the compass mechanism
has returned to equiribrium,
the actual neaoinfi"v
* read. Thii shourd be very crose to the desired
heading of 040' M, tn"
piioi
iubsequentt;;ii"g
Lny minor adiustments
that may be necessary
to
achieve this exactlY.
The nature of compass turning errors, in the southern
Hemisphe,re,
and.the necessary corrections
i"q"ir"o nv tne
ptfol,
m"y o""trrraiised
by the phrase' o N u S' , which means:
f n the Northern Hemisphere,
compass turning errors will be in the reverse sense to those above'
EXAMPLE
5. You are flying an aircraft in Tasmania, and it is necessary to turn from
your current
-T;;;;i
i sO'M Lnt'o a-new headinj ot 22O"M, using the magnetic compass
onlv'
The applicable
rule for southern
Hemisphere
locations'
"oNUS",
reminds
you that the compass
indications
will tend to under-estimateihe
actual rate of turn, and so you should undershootthe
required neaoing,' anJ
Gvel the qingt
; ; indicated heading of 200' t' t' After the compass
has
stabilised,
the actual heading will be inoicateo.
This should
-ne
very close to 22O"M' with only
minor adiustments
being necessary
to achieve this exactly'
Accel erati on
Errors
Transient
indication errors by the magnetic compass
are arso evident whenever an aircratt ac-
celerates
or decelerates
on an easterly or westerly heading'
As is the case with turning errors, these acceleration
errors.are-:llg:q:ct
of the
pendulous
suspension
system thai is 6mployed.in
direct-reading
magnetic compasses
in order to counteract
the undesirable
effects of magnetic dip'
Acceleration
of the aircraft on an easterly or westerly.he.gding
produces a fals.e indication of a turn
towards the nearer f,iag;etlc Pole (i.e. io the south in the Sbuthern
Hemisphere)'
Conversely,
deceleration
on an easterly or.westerly
h.e1!inO
prod.uc.es a fals.e-indication
of a turn
towards the more distant
ltagnetic
pire
(ie-. towlrds tne i6rtn in the southern Hemisphere)'
Transient farse indications
of apparent turns do nof occur on exact northerry or southerly
headings'
on intermediate
headings,
howev"r, "r."r"rition
errors will
progressively increase to a maximum
"long exact east and wJstheadings,
i' e' 090' M and 270' M'
Acceleration
errors in the southern
Hemisphere
may be summarised
by the
phrase
' s
A N D" which
means:
Apparent
turn South during Acceleration
Aiiarent
turn North during Deceleration
As is the case with turning errors, acceleration errors in the Northern Hemisphere
are reversed
EXAMPLE 6. YoU are flying a light aircraft in New Zealand, in controlled
airspace' and
you are
instructed ny Arblo oeieterite
from 160 kt to 100 kt, whilst maintaining
a constant
westerly
headi ng.
you
recallthe useful mnemonic rule
"SAND' ,
applicable
for Southern
Hemisphere
locations, and
so you are expecting the magnetic *tp"dt io in^Oicate an apparent
.tu{n Jo
the north during
deceleration. once the aircraft nas slauitised at 1oo kt, you observe that the compass settles
downandcor r ect | yi ndi cat est hewest er | yheadi ngonceagai n.
3 - 1 4
Aaiation Theory Centre
3
_
DIRECTION
Turning and acceleration errors occur largely-as result of the compass magnet' s. CG belng displaced
away from the
pivot point, i.e. to the norti-ot the pivot in the Southern Hemisphere'
The amount of
displacement increale, ", r"gn"tic dip increases, i.e. the closer an aircraft is to either magnetic
pole, the more
pronounced the turning and acceleration errors will be'
THE GYROSCOPI C
DI RECTI ON
I NDI CATOR
(DI RECTI ONAL GYRO)
Most light aircraft instrument
panels include a Gyroscopic
Direction Indicator' often called the
Directional Gyro (abbreviated as Dl and DG, respectively).
The indications
provided by these
gyro-driven instruments are inherentty siable, even during most normal flight manoeuvres' and do
not exhibit many of the undesirable feitures that make the direct-reading
magnetic compass difficult
to use with anY real accuracY.
A gyroscope is basically a special type of wheel, spinning at high speed around.a central axis' which
exhibits the propertv oi,rigibitv' in ipace. e gvro tLnds t6 maintain its original direction of alignment
even if the vehicle in which it is mounteo
(stln as an aircraft) is allowed to manoeuvre freely'
The magnetic compass is used as the primay.refe.renc.etor
alignmentot
the DG, so that it will
continuito indicate the Magnetic Heading of the aircraft.
Fig.3-20. The GYroscoPic
Direction lndicator,
or Directional GYro.
l s
't
rn
l s.
tm
i ch
A variety of compass card displays are used for DGs, but all of these instruments
include a knob
that allows the
pilot
to reset and adiust tne iignment of the DG, which will be necessary at regular
intervals for the following reasons:
o to make the initiat itignment of the DG to the compass, after start-up; and
o to period ically re-atign the DG, and so correct for the unavoidable
' wandering' ,
or Precession,
of DG indications that are due not "rly t" internal friction and other mechanical forces (Real
precession),
but also to the effects of ine Earth's rotation and the movement of the gyro over
the Earth's surface
(Apparent Precession)'
one of the great advantages of the DG is that it is not subject to the same turning and acceleration
errors that affect matnetic compass indications, but this improved accuracy depends upon correct
atignment with magnetic north.
l-t is vital that a stable compass indication is used when aligning the DG with the magnetic
cotnpass. Do not attempt manlal alignment if the aircraft is changing speed, or turning' as compass
inrdications will be subiect to error U6tn Ouring and immediately after such manoeuvres'
The DG should be re-aligned approximately
every 10 to 15 minutes whilst in flight, but only during
sErbilised straight-and-level
cruise at a constant speed'
RELATIVE
BEARINGS
In air navigation it is quite common
practice to specify the direction to a point or obiect as a Relative
A..ring, i.e. the direbtion relative io the nose, ot heading'
of the aircraft'
Ttre relative bearing of an object from an aircraft is the angular difference
between the aircraft
iEading, and the diiect line
joining the aircraft and the object-, measured ctockwise
from the nose'
r.rd numbereo trom 00bfti1; Cdg' nei ioob;neu
may atio be expressed as 360' REL)'
l
ale
:erly
and
rring
rttles
'.mtte MionTheory
Centre
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