Aircraft Compass Systems

One of the oldest and simplest instruments for indicating direction is the magnetic 
compass. It is also one of the basic instruments required by the Code of Regulations  
 
An aircraft magnetic compass, such as the one shown in Figure, has two small 
magnets attached to a metal float sealed inside a bowl of clear compass fluid similar to 
kerosene. A graduated scale, called a card, is wrapped around the float and viewed 
through a glass window with a lubber line across it. The card is marked with letters 
representing the cardinal directions, north, east, south, and west, and a number for 
each 30° between these letters. The final “0” is omitted from these directions. For 
example, 3 = 30°, 6 = 60°, and 33 = 330°. There are long and short graduation marks 
between the letters and numbers, each long mark representing 10° and each short 
mark representing 5°. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The float and card assembly has a hardened steel pivot in its center that rides inside a 
special, spring-loaded, hard glass jewel cup. The buoyancy of the float takes most of 
the weight off of the pivot, and the fluid damps the oscillation of the float and card. 
This jewel-and-pivot type mounting allows the float freedom to rotate and tilt up to 
approximately 18° angle of bank. At steeper bank angles, the compass indications are 
erratic and unpredictable. 
 
 
 
 
The compass housing is entirely full of compass fluid. To prevent damage or leakage 
when the fluid expands and contracts with temperature changes, the rear of the 
compass case is sealed with a flexible diaphragm, or with a metal bellows in some 
compasses. 
 
The magnetic compass is the simplest instrument in the panel, but it is subject to a 
number of errors that must be considered. 

Variation- 

The Earth rotates about its geographic axis; maps and charts are drawn using 
meridians of longitude that pass through the geographic poles. Directions measured 
from the geographic poles are called true directions. The magnetic North Pole to 
which the magnetic compass points is not collocated with the geographic North Pole, 
but is some 1,300 miles away; directions measured from the magnetic poles are called 
magnetic directions. In aerial navigation, the difference between true and magnetic 
directions is called variation.  
 
Deviation--> 

The magnets in a compass align with any magnetic field. Some causes for magnetic 
fields in aircraft include flowing electrical current, magnetized parts, and conflict 
with the Earth’s magnetic field. These aircraft magnetic fields create a compass error 
called deviation. 

Deviation, unlike variation, depends on the aircraft heading. Also unlike variation, the 
aircraft’s geographic location does not affect deviation. While no one can reduce or 
change variation error, an aviation maintenance technician (AMT) can provide the 
means to minimize deviation error by performing the maintenance task known as 
“swinging the compass.” 

 
To swing the compass, aircraft is positioned on a series of known headings, usually at 
a compass rose. As the aircraft is “swung” or aligned to each compass rose heading, 
adjustments to the compensator assembly located on the top or bottom of the 
compass is carried out. The compensator assembly has two shafts whose ends have 
screwdriver slots accessible from the front of the compass. Each shaft rotates one or 
two small compensating magnets. The end of one shaft is marked E-W, and its 
magnets affect the compass when the aircraft is pointed east or west. The other shaft 
is marked N-S and its magnets affect the compass when the aircraft is pointed north 
or south. 

The adjustments position the compensating magnets to minimize the difference 

Dip Errors--> 

The Earth’s magnetic field runs parallel to its surface only at the Magnetic Equator, 
which is the point halfway between the Magnetic North and South Poles. As you move 
away from the Magnetic Equator towards the magnetic poles, the angle created by the 
vertical pull of the Earth’s magnetic field in relation to the Earth’s surface increases 
gradually. This angle is known as the dip angle. The dip angle increases in a downward 
direction as you move towards the Magnetic North Pole and increases in an upward 
direction as you move towards the Magnetic South Pole. 

If the compass needle were mounted so that it could pivot freely in three dimensions, 
it would align itself with the magnetic field, pointing up or down at the dip angle in 
the direction of local Magnetic North. Because the dip angle is of no navigational 
interest, the compass is made so that it can rotate only in the horizontal plane. This is 
done by lowering the center of gravity below the pivot point and making the assembly 
heavy enough that the vertical component of the magnetic force is too weak to tilt it 
significantly out of the horizontal plane. The compass can then work effectively at all 
latitudes without specific compensation for dip. However, close to the magnetic poles, 
the horizontal component of the Earth’s field is too small to align the compass which 
makes the compass unusable for navigation. Because of this constraint, the compass 
only indicates correctly if the card is horizontal. Once tilted out of the horizontal 
plane, it will be affected by the vertical component of the Earth’s field which leads to 
the following discussions on northerly and southerly turning errors. 

Northerly Turning Errors 

The center of gravity of the float assembly is located lower than the pivotal point. As 
the aircraft turns, the force that results from the magnetic dip causes the float 
assembly to swing in the same direction that the float turns. The result is a false 
northerly turn indication. Because of this lead of the compass card, or float assembly, 
a northerly turn should be stopped prior to arrival at the desired heading. This 
compass error is amplified with the proximity to either magnetic pole. One rule of 
thumb to correct for this leading error is to stop the turn 15 degrees plus half of the 
latitude (i.e., if the aircraft is being operated in a position near 40 degrees latitude, the 
turn should be stopped 15+20=35 degrees prior to the desired heading) 

 
Southerly Turning Errors→ 
 
When turning in a southerly direction, the forces are such that the compass float 
assembly lags rather than leads. The result is a false southerly turn indication. The 
compass card, or float assembly, should be allowed to pass the desired heading prior 
to stopping the turn. As with the northerly error, this error is amplified with the 
proximity to either magnetic pole. To correct this lagging error, the aircraft should be 
allowed to pass the desired heading prior to stopping the turn. The same rule of 15 
degrees plus half of the latitude applies here (i.e., if the aircraft is being operated in a 
position near 30 degrees latitude, the turn should be stopped 15+15+30 degrees after 
passing the desired heading) 
 
Acceleration Error 

The magnetic dip and the forces of inertia cause magnetic compass errors when 
accelerating and decelerating on easterly and westerly headings. Because of the 
pendulous type mounting, the aft end of the compass card is tilted upward when 
accelerating and downward when decelerating during changes of airspeed. When 
accelerating on either an easterly or westerly heading, the error appears as a turn 
indication toward the north. When decelerating on either of these headings, the 
compass indicates a turn toward south. A mnemonic, or memory jogger, for the effect 
of acceleration error is the word “ANDS” (Acceleration- North/Deceleration-South) 
may help you to remember the acceleration error. [Figure 8-37] Acceleration causes 
an indication toward north; deceleration causes an indication toward south. 
The Vertical Card Magnetic Compass 

The vertical card magnetic compass eliminates some of the errors and confusion 
encountered with the magnetic compass. The dial of this compass is graduated with 
letters representing the cardinal directions, numbers every 30°, and tick marks every 
5°. The dial is rotated by a set of gears from the shaft-mounted magnet, and the nose 
of the symbolic aircraft on the instrument glass represents the lubber line for reading 
the heading of the aircraft from the dial. 

 
When starting a turn from a northerly heading, the compass lags behind the turn. When starting
a turn from a southerly heading, the compass leads the turn.

Eddy Current Damping

In the case of a vertical card magnetic compass, flux from the oscillating permanent magnet
produces eddy currents in a damping disk or cup. The magnetic flux produced by the eddy
currents opposes the flux from the permanent magnet and decreases the oscillations.
REMOTE READING COMPASS

The remote-reading compass automatically and continuously compares the output of 
a magnetic sensing element with the indicated heading of the gyro indicator.It then 
resets the gyro whenever a discrepancy exists. The gyro output is therefore slaved to 
magnetic north. 

Hence also known as the Slaved Gyro Compass. Other names are Gyromagnetic 
Compass or Heading Reference Unit. 

The pilot is no longer required to reset the gyro indicator periodically.  

The Detector Unit 

 
The detector unit is the element that senses the direction of magnetic north. It is 
normally mounted in a wing tip or at the top of the fin where the deviating influence 
of the aircraft is at an absolute minimum. The output of the detector is a series of 
electrical currents which represent magnetic heading. 

The heart of any detector unit is the "Flux Valve". If a direct current is passed through 
a coil wound around a soft iron core the core will become magnetized. If the core is 
split in the middle and two halves are laid side by side (without disturbing the coil), 
two magnets of equal strength will be produced. However the polarity of these 
magnets will be different. 

In a flux valve it is an alternating current rather than a direct current which is fed to 
the primary windings. The effect of the alternating current is to completely reverse 
the magnetic polarity of both soft iron cores each time that the direction of current 
flow changes. The peak value of the alternating current fed to the primary coil will 
saturate the soft iron cores.  

 
The detector unit is fixed in azimuth with respect to the aircraft. If the aircraft turns 
through 90°, so does the detector unit. 

Therefore the orientation of the detector unit to the Earth's magnetic field vary with 
aircraft heading. 

This means that the currents generated within the secondary windings also vary with 
aircraft heading. 

The flux collector horns are simply extensions of the soft iron cores and are employed 
to concentrate the terrestrial magnetic field. 

The whole detector unit is required to lie in the Earth's horizontal plane, so that it is 
the H component of the terrestrial magnetic field which is sensed rather than the Z 
component. 

In order that the detector can remain horizontal when the aircraft is pitching or 
rolling the unit is suspended by a universal joint knows as a Hooke's Joint. 

This arrangement allows, typically, 25° of freedom in pitch and roll. 

When the freedom of movement limits are exceeded, the detector unit is no longer in 
the horizontal plane. 

When it is no longer in the horizontal plane an element of the Earth's Z component 

 
If Earth's Z component is sensed, the resultant turning/acceleration errors would 
cause an eventual misalignment of the gyro. Therefore when the freedom of 
movement limits are exceeded, the electrical outputs of the flux valve are isolated 
from the gyro unit. During a turning or acceleration manoeuvre the detector unit 
would depart from the Earth's horizontal plane as its own mass will react due to 
inertia. Thus a part of the Earth's Z component would be sensed and the gyro would 
eventually become misaligned. In order to minimise this error the gyro unit is 
precessed to align itself to the detector output at a slow rate (only 2° per minute 
typically) during normal operation. Therefore during a manoeuvre of limited 
duration, the heading indicated by the gyro magnetic compass will not be in 
significant error. 

 
The Transmission System 

The signals generated in the detector must somehow be transmitted to the gyro unit 
in order to keep the gyro slaved to (or synchronised with) magnetic north as 
determined by the detector. This is achieved within the synchronising unit by means 
of a self synchronous control unit (SelSyn). Selsyn is effectively a detector unit in 
reverse.  

The electrical currents which are produced in the secondary windings of the flux 
valves (which synthesise the Earth's magnetic field direction) are fed to the selsyn. 
The stator coils within the synchronising unit are positioned mutually at 120° to each 
other (like flux valves in the detector). The flux valve currents flowing through these 
stator coils will produce a magnetic field which represents the Earth's magnetic field 
sensed at the detector. 

The null seeking rotor coil of the selsyn will have no current induced into it when it 
lies at 90° to the magnetic lines of flux produced by the stator coils. At any angle other 
than 90°, the null seeking rotor coil will have a current induced into it.  

The stator coils within the synchronising unit are positioned mutually at 120° to each 
other (like flux valves in the detector). The flux valve currents flowing through these 
stator coils will produce a magnetic field which represents the Earth's magnetic field 
sensed at the detector. The null seeking rotor coil of the selsyn will have no current 
induced into it when it lies at 90° to the magnetic lines of flux produced by the stator 
coils. At any angle other than 90°, the null seeking rotor coil will have a current 
induced into it.  
  

Whenever the output of the detector unit is suspected (lightning strike or at very high 
magnetic latitudes) a DG/COMP switch gives the option of operating in the pure DGI 
mode. 

 
System Errors--> 

The remote indicating gyro compass suffers from errors caused by variations in 
aircraft magnetism and by changes in the earth's magnetic field. However as 
compared to a direct reading compasses the errors are to a lesser degree. They must be 
swung periodically to establish compass deviation. 

The detector is pendulous so as to be free to remain horizontal and detect only the H 
component of the earth's field. But its freedom is limited to 25° off the aircraft 
vertical. Longitudinal and lateral accelerations will tilt the detector, introducing 
readings of the Z component. Bank and pitch beyond 25° will also pull the detector out 
of the horizontal. Because of these potential errors there are various sensors 
incorporated to detect pitch, bank and acceleration. When the set limits are exceeded, 
the magnetic monitoring system is switched off.   

During manoeuvres and accelerations the gyro is still available as a heading reference 
but subject to the usual gyro errors of earth rate and transport wander. These errors 
(as compared to a direct reading compass) are relatively small and with the stability of 
the gyro element and the relatively slow rate of synchronisation used, they may be 
ignored. 

The gyros, like the DI are subject to gimballing error in turns. These can be ignored.