THE DIRECT INDICATING COMPASS

THE MAGNETIC COMPASS

A compass is an instrument designed to indicate direction on the surface of the earth, relative to

some known datum. The magnetic compass uses the horizontal component of the earth’s field

as its directional datum.

The direct indicating or direct reading magnetic compass, where the pilot directly reads his heading
in relation to the pivoted magnet assembly.

The purpose of a magnetic ‘steering’ compass in an aircraft is to indicate heading, the direction in
which the aircraft is pointing.

DIRECT INDICATING MAGNETIC COMPASS

The direct indicating or direct reading magnetic compass is where the pilot directly reads his
heading in relation to the pivoted magnet assembly.

THE VERTICAL CARD COMPASS

It is usually the main magnetic heading reference in light aircraft and the standby compass in larger
aircraft.

It consists of a circular compass card attached directly to the magnet assembly. This combined unit is
suspended in liquid within the compass bowl. A vertical lubber line on the glass window of the bowl,
enables the heading to be read off the compass card

COMPASS REQUIREMENTS The direct reading magnetic compass contains a pivoted magnet which
must be able to align itself, and remain aligned, with the horizontal component of the earth’s
magnetic field.

The important requirements of DMRC are

 Horizontal
 Sensitive
  Aperiodic

HORIZONTALITY

In order to measure direction in the horizontal, the magnets must lie as nearly as possible in the
horizontal plane during normal straight and level flight.

A freely suspended magnet assembly would align itself with the earth’s total field so the magnets
would only be horizontal at the magnetic equator.

To achieve horizontality, the magnet assembly is ‘ pendulously suspended’

SENSITIVITY

The ability of a pivoted magnet to align itself with an external field - its sensitivity - depends on the
strength of the external field and on the magnetic moment of the magnet

It can be increased by using

1. two, four or six short magnets or a circular magnet

2. By using an iridium-tipped pivot in a jewelled cup
3. By lubricating the pivot with the liquid which fills the compass bowl.
4. By reducing the effective weight of the magnet assembly acting down through the pivot,
because the liquid that the magnet assembly is displacing is denser than air .

APERIODICITY

The magnetic assembly is required to be aperiodic or ‘dead beat’, which means that it should settle
down quickly on a steady indication after being displaced by turbulence or manoeuvres.

Any tendency to oscillate must be quickly ‘damped out’. The desired aperiodicity is achieved as
follows

1. Several short magnets

2. damping liquid

THE COMPASS LIQUID

Various liquids, including alcohol have been used. The main properties required of a compass liquid
are:

 Low coefficient of expansion

 Low viscosity
 Transparency
 Low freezing point
 High boiling point
 Non-corrosiveness
ACCELERATION AND TURNING ERRORS

Direct reading compasses are subject to large errors during linear acceleration or deceleration, or
during a turn.

the errors are non-existent near the magnetic equator.

Acceleration and turning errors occur and an incorrect heading will be shown on the compass card
which is attached to the magnet.

ERRORS CAUSED BY LINEAR ACCELERATION

Acceleration / deceleration errors are maximum on East and West (M) headings and zero on
North and South (M) headings.

In Northern Hemisphere

Acceleration on 270°M (NH)

 The magnet assembly anticlockwise

 The compass reading will therefore increase, so indicating an apparent turn towards North
 Thus, according to the compass, the aircraft is now heading, say, 280° whereas its real
heading is in fact still 270°- the compass is over-reading.

Acceleration on 090°M (NH)

 The magnet assembly clockwise

 The compass reading will therefore decrease, so indicating an apparent turn towards North.
 Thus, according to the compass, the aircraft is now heading, say, 080° whereas its real
heading is in fact still 090°- the compass is under-reading

Deceleration on 090°M (NH)

 the magnet assembly anti-clockwise

 The compass reading will therefore increase, so indicating an apparent turn towards South
 Thus, according to the compass, the aircraft is now heading, say, 100° whereas its real
heading is in fact still 090°- the compass is over-reading
TURNING ERRORS

Turning errors are maximum when turning through north and south, and ignoring liquid swirl zero
when turning through east and west.

Turning from 045° to 315° (NH)

A lefthand turn in the Northern hemisphere as it passes through 000°M.

The magnet assembly rotates anti- clockwise - The aircraft is turning port and the magnet assembly
rotates in the same (anticlockwise) direction

Whenever the magnet rotates anticlockwise it will overread .

This means that if the pilot stops the turn at 315° indicated the actual heading will be numerically
smaller such as 295°- therefore the turn must be stopped early (such as 335°) to achieve the correct
heading

This can also be described as undershooting the required heading (note ‘undershoot’ is referring

to turning through a smaller angle, and should not be confused with ‘under read’ which means

that the numerical heading indicated is too small).

If the pilot deliberately undershoots, rolling out when the compass reads about 325°, he should

observe, when the wings are levelled, the compass ‘catch up’ and settle on 315

Turning from 315° to 045° (NH).

Turning right through north in the Northern hemisphere as it passes through 000°M
the magnet assembly rotates clockwise

Whenever the magnet rotates clockwise it will under read . This means that if the pilot stops the

turn at 045° indicated the actual heading will be numerically larger such as 065°.

Therefore the turn must be stopped early (such as 025°), or the pilot should undershoot the

indication, to achieve the correct heading

Turning from 135° to 225° (NH).

Turning right through south in the northern hemisphere as it passes through 180°M
the magnet assembly rotates anticlockwise.

The aircraft is turning clockwise (right) but the magnet assembly is rotating anticlockwise.

Therefore the aircraft and the magnet are now rotating in opposite directions. Although the aircraft
has turned 90° around the compass, the magnet has been displaced and rotated in the opposite
direction by a number of degrees (say 20°). The pilot will therefore see 110° pass beneath the lubber
line and the compass is termed ‘lively’.

Whenever the magnet rotates anticlockwise it will over read. This means that if the pilot stops the
turn at 225° indicated the actual heading will be numerically smaller, such as 205°. Therefore the
turn must be stopped late (such as 245°), or the pilot should overshoot, to achieve the correct
heading.

Turning from 135° to 225° (SH).

turning right through south in the southern hemisphere as it passes through 180°M,

the magnet assembly rotates clockwise

The aircraft and the magnet assembly now are rotating in the same direction (clockwise) and
therefore the compass will again be sluggish.

Whenever the magnet rotates clockwise it will under read . This means that if the pilot stops the

turn at 225° indicated the actual heading will be numerically larger such as 245°. Therefore the

turn must be stopped early (such as 205°), or undershoot, to achieve the correct heading.

Remember that when the wings are levelled, the compass will ‘catch up’ and settle on 225°.

Turning errors are zero when passing through East or West.

Magnitude of Turning Errors:
There are many factors affecting the severity of turning errors. They are worst at high latitudes

where Z is strong and H is weak.

Other relevant variables include rate of turn, duration of turn, speed of the aircraft, the headings

involved, and the design of the compass.

TURNING ERRORS - LIQUID SWIRL

During a turn, the liquid in contact with the inside of the bowl tends to be dragged around with the
bowl, so producing in the liquid small eddies which drift inwards from the circumference and deflect
the magnet assembly in the direction of turn. Therefore the liquid tends to swirl - and rotate the
magnet assembly with it - in the same direction as the aircraft’s turn.

Accordingly, when turning through north in the Northern hemisphere it will increase the magnitude
of the turning error (in which the assembly turns in the same direction as the aircraft). The size of
the turning error when turning through south in the northern hemisphere (where the assembly
turns in the opposite direction to the aircraft) will be reduced. In the Southern hemisphere the swirl
effect will be in the opposite sense

At the magnetic equator where there is no vertical component Z in the earth’s field, liquid swirl is
the sole source of turning error; with most compasses the effect is only slight.

The magnitude, and sense, of turning error shown by a direct reading compass varies with:

1. the design of the compass

2. the direction of the turn

3. the rate of turn

4. which hemisphere the aircraft is in

5. the heading of the aircraft

6. the amount of dip at the aircraft’s latitude

Table Explained

1. The term SLUGGISH which appears in the right hand column of the table denotes that the

compass HEADING is LAGGING BEHIND the aircraft heading.

 2. Conversely, when the term LIVELY is used, the compass HEADING is LEADING the aircraft

around the turn.

The following rules of thumb apply:

 During a turn through the pole which is physically nearer to the aircraft, the compass

will be SLUGGISH. It is therefore necessary to ROLL OUT EARLY on the indication given by the Direct
Reading Compass.

 During a turn through the pole which is physically further from the aircraft, the compass will
be LIVELY. It is therefore necessary to ROLL OUT LATE on the indication given by the Direct
Reading Compass.

From the above statements it can be seen that, at the MAGNETIC EQUATOR, there is NO

TURNING ERROR because there is no “dip”.

At the magnetic equator where there is no vertical component Z in the earth’s field, liquid swirl is
the sole source of turning error; with most compasses the effect is only slight.

Remember, that it is a displacement of the MAGNETS in a CLOCKWISE direction when

viewed from above which causes the compass to UNDERREAD, and a displacement in an

ANTICLOCKWISE direction which causes the compass to OVERREAD.