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INSTRUMENTS

Deviation

Soft iron can be magnetised by leaving it in a magnetic field.

Hammering will speed up the process.

As an aircraft is built it becomes lightly magnetised in the direction it lies in the

earth's field.

This initial magnetism depends on:

• Where the aircraft was built (which will affect the dip).

• Which way the aircraft was pointing in the factory.

• How much soft iron is in it.

• How much it was hammered.

Before the aeroplane leaves the factory it is "de-gaussed" (an attempt to

remove this magnetism).

This is never totally successful so there is always some residual magnetism

that can cause compasses to deviate.

The magnetic field around the compass can be distorted by a number of

factors:

• Permanent (hard iron) magnetism in the aircraft structure.

• Permanent magnetism imported with the cargo.

• Distortion of the earth's magnetic field by soft iron in the aircraft.

• Soft iron brought aboard with the cargo.

These distortions work in both the horizontal and in the vertical.

Finding and defining them all to make corrections would be a complex and
difficult task.
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Fortunately, most are small, and a simple correction for hard iron magnetism in
the horizontal plane will normally bring the compass deviation inside the
required limits.

The limits are:

± 1° for a remote indicating gyro compass.

± 3° for a direct reading compass.

Other Causes of Deviation

A compass tries to line up with the horizontal component of the earth's

magnetic field (H), it is pulled off by deviating forces.

A decrease in the strength of H or an increase in deviating forces will increase

the overall compass deviation.

At the magnetic equator, the aclinic line, dip is zero.

Z is zero and H is at its maximum.

As you move away to higher magnetic latitudes Z and dip progressively

increase and H decreases in strength.

If the deviating forces remain the same the progressive decrease in H will lead
to larger and larger deviations.

Changes in Deviating Forces

The assessment of deviating forces has been confined to effects in the aircraft
horizontal (assuming the compass needle will be horizontal).

If this is so then magnetic forces in the aircraft vertical (on normal axis) will
not pull the compass off.

However in steep climb, dive or bank attitudes, the aircraft and compass are
no longer lined up.

Both permanent and induced magnetism in the aircraft vertical can affect the
compass.

Any change in aircraft permanent magnetism will affect deviation.

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This can occur if the aircraft is left standing on the same heading for long
periods (particularly if work involving hammering is also taking place).

It can happen after a heavy landing or even after consistent normal landings
on the same heading.

Electrical faults and lightning strikes also change the permanent magnetism.

Changing major components like engines affects the magnetism.

Carriage of magnetic cargo.

Aircraft induced magnetism can also be changed.

Soft iron in the aircraft distorts the local earth field around the compass
(deviation varies with the orientation of the soft iron to H).

Large, long soft iron components in the cargo (pipelines) will increase deviation
on some headings.

Compass Swing

The purpose of a compass swing is to:

• Determine the amount of deviation on a series of headings.

• Correct for deviation, as much as possible.

• Record the residual deviation.

From the record of residual deviation a compass correction card is produced.

Compass correction card enables the pilot to determine the deviation on any
heading.

List of occasions when a compass should be swung to check its accuracy is:

• Whenever a compass is installed or replaced.

• Whenever the accuracy of the compass is in doubt.

• After a maintenance period (as required by the schedule).

• After significant aircraft modification or repair.

• When carrying magnetic freight.

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• When the compass has suffered significant physical shock.

• After a lightning strike.

• Long term operation at a different magnetic latitude.

• After long term storage standing on the same heading.

General swing procedures

During compass calibration the aircraft should be positioned not more than 5
degrees from the required headings, and shall be calibrated to determine the
residual deviation on at least eight equally spaced headings, that shall include
the cardinal headings. The magnetic heading of the aircraft should be
established by means of a landing compass or similar instrument, or by
alignment with a marked compass site or known headings.

The flight controls should be operated and avionics systems switched on and
off, or operated through the range permitted for cruising flight, to ascertain
that there are no significant adverse effects.

When calibrating in accordance with the above procedures, the residual

deviation should not exceed:

· 2 deg for a remote reading (gyro) compass 


· 3 deg for a remote reading (non-gyro) compass 


· 5 deg for a direct reading compass used as the primary heading

reference 


· 8 deg for any other compass 


Coefficient method


Correcting swing

The aircraft is positioned on each of the cardinal headings in the following
order:

· north: record landing compass reading, aircraft compass reading and

calculate deviation 

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· east: record landing compass reading, aircraft compass reading and
calculate deviation 


· south: record landing compass reading, aircraft compass reading and

calculate deviation 

Note: Deviation (DEV) = landing compass heading – aircraft compass
heading 


Calculate: “coefficient C”

coefficientC = (dev N- dev S)/2

For example:

· if the landing compass reads 358 deg and the aircraft compass reads
360 deg the deviation on north is –2 deg (devN) 


· if the landing compass reads 177° and the aircraft compass reads 181°
the deviation on south is –4° (devS) 


. coefficientC = (- 2 - - 4)/2

= +1


The sign for coefficient C should then be changed and applied to the aircraft
compass, adjusting 

the N-S corrector to Make Compass Read (MCR), in this case 180° (181°
– 1° = 180°). Then; 


· west: record landing compass reading, aircraft compass readings and

calculate deviation



Calculate: “coefficient B”



coefficientB = (dev E - dev W)/2

The sign for coefficient B should then be changed and applied to the aircraft
compass, adjusting the
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Calibration swing

Following the adjustment for coefficients B and C, a calibration or check swing

is carried out through eight successive points, the cardinal and quadrant
headings, each 45° apart.

At each point the landing compass reading, aircraft compass reading and the
deviations are recorded.

Calculate: “coefficient A”

This should now be calculated using the following formula:

(devN + devNE + devE + devSE + devS + devSW + devW + devNW) 8

Note: This correction can’t be made to some compasses but where possible,
the compass is rotated in its mounting to correct for coefficient A.

For example; with the aircraft compass showing north, physically rotate the
compass in its mounting to correct for coefficient A, (the installation error). If
the calculated deviation is positive, make the compass reading increase by that
sum.

Residual deviation

After physically adjusting the compass in its mount, to correct for coefficient A,
we need to make a correction to the recorded deviations. This is achieved by
subtracting the coefficient A figure, sign unchanged, from the individual
deviation figures.

residual deviation = deviation – coefficient A

(Remember, minus a minus is a plus.)

Residual deviation is recorded on the correction card and used to calculate the
“STEER” heading on the displayed compass card.