Page 1 of 1
Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:18 am
by HAPPYDAN
Here's an article sure to make all aviators sit up and take notice:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/ ... rds-russia
Thank technology for GPS.
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:28 am
by MrMorden
Since it's not 1940, I doubt many in aviation will even notice.
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:01 am
by Warmi
MrMorden wrote:Since it's not 1940, I doubt many in aviation will even notice.
Hehehehe.... yes, I don’t remember last time I actually looked at my compass ...
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:50 am
by MrMorden
Warmi wrote:MrMorden wrote:Since it's not 1940, I doubt many in aviation will even notice.
Hehehehe.... yes, I don’t remember last time I actually looked at my compass ...
The only time I do is if ATC asks me to fly a heading. I'll still do it the same way no matter what the Earth's core is doing, so *shrug*. If my heading is not what ATC expects, they will give me a new heading to fly!
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 12:54 pm
by ShawnM
Compass? What's that? Oh, do you mean that magenta line on my GPS?
My SportCruiser didn't even come with a whisky compass, just the remote magnetometer from Dynon.
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 2:09 pm
by Warmi
Oh I do proudly own a whisky compass - it is somewhat hidden, right behind my handsome go-to rug for spilled liquids in the cockpit ...
- IMG_0535.jpg (101.22 KiB) Viewed 17597 times
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 11:12 am
by MrMorden
ShawnM wrote:Compass? What's that? Oh, do you mean that magenta line on my GPS?
My SportCruiser didn't even come with a whisky compass, just the remote magnetometer from Dynon.
I'm actually glad to have both a whiskey compass and the Dynon; I have never really been able to calibrate my Dynon magnetometer to be correct, no method I have tried has left it closer to true than 3-5° or so. As a result, when asked to fly a heading I refer to Mr. Whiskey.
Re: Elusive Magnetic North
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:38 pm
by HAPPYDAN
Glad you all saw the humor in this. That article makes it sound like the world may be ending! Anyway, here in PugetSoundLand, our variation is something like 18-20 degrees westerly, so the Boy Scout compass is kind of a crap-shoot. Fortunately, in the 4 different Skycatchers I've flown, the HSI was very reliable, but the GPS still wins, hands down. Failing this, there is always IFR (I Follow Roads).