28 October 2018 By R.

Warning 1
 COURSE PREVIEW
► Theory
 Earth magnetism
 Compasses
 Compass errors
► Practice
 Compass swing site
 Compass swing
 Alternative methods

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 Permanent Magnetism
► Certain materials can be magnetized, By putting
them in a magnetic field. After removing the field
remnant magnetism will be kept.

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 Electro Magnetism
► Around a conductor that conducts electrical
current a magnetic field is also generated.

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 Earth magnetism
The earth can be seen as
a giant magnet. The
magnetic poles
however do not align
exactly with the
geographic poles.
The exact place of the
magnetic poles is not
constant, but varies in
time.
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 Magnetic Variation
True North Magnetic variation is the
Magnetic north angle at a certain point
Variation on earth between the
magnetic north and the
true north. Due to the
fact that the place of
the magnetic north is
not fixed, the variation
changes. In Holland
about one degree every
six years.

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The variation is not a function of the geographical position,
But can vary due to changes in the earths rock formations.
Lines of equal variation around the globe are so called
isogonics lines.

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Variation must always be
added to the magnetic T. North
heading to get the true M. North
heading!

+ variation
Variation is positive if the
true north is to the
right (east) of the
magnetic north. Else it
is negative.

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 Inclination (magnetic dip)
The direction of the magnetic force
at a certain point on earth is not
always exactly horizontal. Only Inclination
at the equator. At the poles they
are nearly vertical. The angle of
force line with the horizontal is
called the inclination or dip
angle.
A magnetic compass uses only the
horizontal component of the
earths magnetic field. But the
inclination tends to tilt a
magnetic compass.

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 Inclination card

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 Intensity
The strength off the earth magnetic field is not constant on all places on earth.
The strength of the magnetic field is measured in oersed. In the Netherlands the
earths magnetic field is about 0.471 oersted

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 Compasses

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 Aircraft compasses
There are tree kinds of aircraft compasses.
1. Direct-reading compasses or standby
compasses
2. Remote-reading compasses systems with a
flux valve
3. Inertial compass systems

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 Direct-reading compasses
The Direct-reading compasses is a free
turning magnet with a scale around
it, mounted on a pivot inside a
liquid. The liquid provides damping
for the scale. Normally a silicon
liquid is used. The center of gravity
of the scale and the magnet
assembly is well below the pivot
point. So that the compass will
mainly react to the horizontal
component off the earth magnetic
field. The liquid is sealed off by a
membrane to compensate for
volume differences due to
temperature changes. Underneath
the compass is a compensator unit
to allow adjustments to the
compass

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 The compensator unit
There are two compensators inside the
compensator unit. One for
Longitudinal axis off the aircraft and
one for the cross-axis. Each
compensator consists of two bars
that can be turned in opposite
direction. In each bar two small
compensator magnets are mounted.
In neutral position the magnetic forces
of these magnets oppose each
other, giving a resultant field of
zero. When the bars are turned, the
resultant force will be added to the
earths magnetic field, But of course
only the vector part that is parallel
to the earths field.

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 Compensator field

S S
N N

Earths field

Resultant field
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 Direct-reading compasses errors
There are two main errors involved in using a
direct-reading compass in an aircraft.
1. Northern turning error.
2. Acceleration error

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 Northern turning error
The compass card is mounted so that its center of
gravity is well below the pivot point. When the
aircraft is in a banked turn, the card also
banks because of centrifugal forces. While the
card is in the banked attitude, the vertical
component of the earth’s magnetic field
causes the compass to dip to the low side of
the turn. The error is most apparent when
turning trough headings close to north and
south. When the aircraft makes a turn from a
heading of north, the compass briefly
indicates a turn in the opposite direction.
Passing trough south, the compass leads the
turn considerably. As the aircraft nose passes
though the west, the compass should
approximate the correct heading. Then, as the
aircraft nose approaches north again the
compass lags.
In the Netherlands this error is 2,5° with a 1 °
bank and 25 ° with a 10 ° bank

28 October 2018 By R. Warning 18

 Acceleration error
A second way to tilt the compass card out of the
horizontal plane is to accelerate or decelerate
the airplane. With the card mounted with its
CG below the pivot, acceleration causes the
card to tip forward. In the Northern
Hemisphere where the magnetic field has a
downward component, this causes the north-
seeking tip of the compass needle to swing
downward.

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 Other compass errors
Besides the dynamic errors (northern turning error and acceleration error.) and the errors caused by the
aircraft it self (for witch we will calibrate the compass.) there are some minor faults in direct-reading
compasses.
► Scale faults caused by an unjust calibration of the scale.
► Collimination faults, caused by a difference between the magnetic axis of the compass and the north
of the scale.
► Lubber line alignment error.
► Liquid swirl error. If there is not enough room in the compass housing, the scale will be turned with
the aircraft, due to the viscosity of the compass fluid.

The first 3 errors will be eliminated when the A error is adjusted during the compass swing.

28 October 2018 By R. Warning 20

 Checking a direct reading compass:

•Pivot friction test: With the use of a small magnet, make the compass rotate
10° keep it in this position for 10 seconds. Remove the magnet an let the
compass come to a rest. Note the heading. Do the same towards the other side.
Again note the heading. The difference between the two observations should
not be more than 2 °.

•Damping test: With the use of a small magnet make the compass rotate 90 °.
Keep it in this position for one minute. Take the magnet away. The compass
should turn back with in 5 ° of its original heading with in 10 seconds.

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 The remote reading compass
The remote reading compass, in Fokker aircraft called the AHRS (or IRS, but they do not work with the
earths magnetic field), is basically a directional gyro system connected to a flux valve. To adjust the gyro
heading indication automatically.
The flux valve is normally mounted in an area as free as possible
Magnetic disturbances. Mostly in the wing tips.
On Fokker aircraft the flux valve is mostly indexed. That means
that the flux valve can not be turned, to remove
a possible A error. This indexing is a factory setting.

The flux valve consists of a double 3 spoke transformer with in

each Spoke a pick off coil and one exciter coil per pair of spokes.
The exciter coil saturates the spokes, so that static magnetic field
in each of the spokes is transformed to a alternating field.
The strength of this field is a function of the earths magnetic
field lines passing trough the length of the spoke. Hence the
amplitude of the induced voltage is a function of the position of
the spoke in the earths magnetic field. (and the intensity
off the field)
The coils are mounted on a gimbal with a led weight that keeps it
Horizontal.
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 Course output
800Hz
Excitation
400Hz
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 The electric compensator
The flux valve can be electrically compensated for B and C errors. If a small DC current is
Applied in the sense windings of the flux valve. This current should generate a magnetic field that is equal in
strength as the field that caused the disturbance but opposite in direction.

Flux DC
valve source 800Hz
Output

400 Hz excitation Compensator drawn for one direction only

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 The Remote Compensator unit
The variable DC power source in the previous slide is
located in the remote magnetic compensator unit.
On the unit, you find also some test points to measure the
DC voltage applied to the flux valve and a
potentiometer to adjust the voltages. After successful
adjustment of the compass system, the voltages
should be measured and written down on a sticker on
the remote compensator unit.
This way a remote compensator unit or flux valve can be
replaced without the need to do a new compass
swing. Only the voltages should be taken over from
the old compensator unit.
Inside the remote compensator unit is also a circuit that
transforms the tree wire output of the flux valve into
2-wire sine/cosine signals. And a monitor circuit that’s
checks the functioning of the flux valves and the
remote compensator unit.

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 Flux valve errors
Principally the flux valve suffers also from the northern turning error and acceleration errors
just as the standby compass does. But because the reading of the flux valve output is
stabilized with a directional gyro, The readout is much more reliable.

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 Aircraft errors
Due to the fact that aircrafts contain a certain amount of iron and other magnetic material and there are a
lot of life wires in an aircraft. The aircraft itself will generate a magnetic field that will disturb the
precession of the compass systems. These aircraft errors or static errors we can divide into tree
categories; Index errors, one cycle errors and two cycle errors.

Static errors

Index errors One cycle errors Two cycle errors

Longitudinal Cross

A fault C fault B fault D fault E fault

A correction C correction B correction Not corrected

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 Adjusting the compass
We have to adjust an compass for A, B and C faults. E and F faults are generally minor and
are not compensated.
The A fault can be compensated by turning the compass or flux-valve in horizontal direction.
The B fault is compensated by the E-W adjustment of the compensator.
And the C fault is compensated with the N-S adjustment of the compensator.

A
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 Total deviation
The total deviation caused by the aircraft should be
compensated by means of a
► A-fault correction that is linear over the whole compass range.
► B-fault correction, that acts as a cosine function over the compass
range
► C-fault correction that’s a sine function.
With the B and C correctors we only adjust the amplitudes of the sine
and Cosine curves. The total Compensation is the sum of the A-fault, B-
fault and C fault corrections. This total correction should compensate for
the total deviation generated by the aircraft.

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 2
1.5
1
0.5
0 0° 90° 180° 360°
270°
-0.5
-1
-1.5

A fault
28 October 2018 C fault B fault
By R. Warning Total correction 30
 The compass swing location
A compass swing must be carried out on an approved site!
► An approved site should be accessible and level.
► Free from magnetic fields (except earths magnetic field.)
► Should be at least 46 meters away from steel framed buildings and 91 meters from
buildings containing electrical power generation.
► Large enough to swing the aircrafts it’s intended for.

There are two compass swing site classifications.

► Class 1 with a permit able deviation of ±10’.
► Class 2 with a permit able deviation of ±25’.

Periodic re-survey
► A class 1 site must be re-surveyed every 5 years.
► A class 2 site every 2 years. (??)

The surveying party must work with the standards of the Admiralty Compass Observatory
(ACO) and must be recognized by the CAA.
(Source: CAA UK leaflet 8-1 compass base surveying)

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 Swing site’s at Schiphol
There is only one compass swing site at
Amsterdam! This is the fairway near the
Martinair hangar’s.
The site near the old Fokker buildings is not
surveyed and contains a lot of iron in the
ground.

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 The Compass swing
A compass swing contains two parts.
1. The correction swing. Where the compass is calibrated and the A, B and C errors are
adjusted.
2. The calibration swing, where the remaining deviations are noted and written on the
deviation table that is mounted in the aircraft.

Note that with a Fokker 100 with IRS systems, the IRS may be used as reference.
Else a approved prismatic landing compass mounted on a tripod should be used as a
reference.

Keep in mind that, when standing in front of the aircraft with a reference compass, the
reading is 180° with respect to the aircrafts heading.
When reading the reference compass make sure there is sufficient distance between the
compass and the aircraft. Take also care not to wear any iron tools, watches, radio’s etc
Be also aware that the reference compass comes also with a deviation card!

28 October 2018 By R. Warning 33

 Tail

Window stile

030 Prism

To read the reference compass, position the compass so that the window style and
the vertical stabilizer line up with the compasses lubber line. Make sure the
reference compass is adjusted horizontally before reading.

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 Preparing the compass swing
Before a compass swing is undertaken make sure the following preconditions are met:
► Authorization of the airport authorities.
► Towing facilities.
► Daylight!

Make sure you have the following equipment with you.

► A stairs to leave and enter the aircraft in the field (if there is no air stair on F100).
► Special adjustment tool for the standby compass.
► Flat screw driver for “A” fault adjustment stby compass and compensator adjustment.
► Wrench to loosen and tighten the locking nuts on the AHRS compensator unit
► Voltmeter to measure the compensation voltages on the compensator.
► Two Porto phones to communicate between outside and inside of aircraft.
► Master compass and tripod or pylorus and bracket and course list.
► Correction form, deviation form and deviation cards.

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 Start at North

The Readout of the master compass

The readout on the aircraft compass

Adjusted readings

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 Example calculation

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 The calibration swing
After the correction swing is performed, a calibration swing should be made. The calibration
swing is to verify the correct adjustment of the compass and to make a deviation list and
deviation cards, to make the crew aware of the remaining deviation errors.
We are making a full 360 degrees swing with 30 degrees interval. On every interval we note
the deviation of the standby compass and the two AHRS systems and the standby
compass in emergency power condition.

For the standby compass the maximal deviation may be 10 degrees but between successive
(30°) steps the difference in deviation may be 4° maximum!

The maximum deviation for the AHRS may be 2°!

After the calibration swing a deviation form should be filled in for tech records and deviation
cards should be made for in the cockpit.

28 October 2018 By R. Warning 38

 The pylorus method
With a normal compass swing a master compass is
used as reference. As an alternative a pylorus
can also be used if the compass swing site is
approved for this method.
A pylorus is an instrument with witch we can very
precisely measure a angle between two
points. In our case the longitudinal axis of the
aircraft and a known point at some distance
away.
The angle between this known point and the
aircraft heading is predetermined for all
compass headings used during the compass
swing

By measuring the angle with the aircraft

longitudinal axis, and comparing this with the
predetermined value, we can calculate the
deviation.

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Before we start using the pylorus, we have
to align the instrument with the aircrafts
longitudinal axis. This is done by putting
the instrument on a known spot (cockpit
side window), Level the instrument and
then point the instrument exactly to the
wing tip and adjust the bottom
reference ring of the pylorus to 240.25°
(F50) as given on the job card.
Now the zero should be exactly in line with
the aircrafts longitudinal axis.
After this we can shoot for every 30°
heading a suitable target from the target
list. By subtracting the value given on
the target list , With the actual readout Fixed distance 32cm
on the pylorus scale, the datum heading
can be calculated.
Subtract the readout heading from the
datum and you get the deviation.

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 330
N

Value on target list

Actual value α

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 Focus

Fine adjust

Deviation scale
Clamps to fix
pylorus to aircraft Horizontal
window structure adjustment
longitudinal axis
adjustment ring

longitudinal axis
adjustment ring
Fixing Bolt

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 Leveling bubble

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 The End

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