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Compass Card Deviation…important?

Asked by: 6509 views General Aviation, Student Pilot

Is taking into account compass card deviation that important?  I have been told it doesn't matter that much and not to worry about it when plotting my course.

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2 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Kent Shook on Oct 30, 2010

    When plotting your course (that is, drawing a line on the sectional) you should not yet be considering compass card deviation – That’s a later step in the process.

    However, the answer is “it depends on the airplane.” Some airplanes have compasses that are nearly perfect. However, other airplanes have compasses that can be quite far off in some quadrants. I’m not sure if there’s a maximum allowable deviation before a compass must be replaced, but I know I’ve flown an airplane that was 20 degrees off in one quadrant.

    So, yes it can be significant, and yes you should take it into account when filling out a navigation log and finding your desired headings.

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  2. Jason Schappert on Oct 30, 2010

    Lindsay,
    Deviation is important and will vary from aircraft to aircraft on various headings. However typically you will see only 1 to 2 degree deviations
     
    Jason

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