Directions And Compasses ?

Hello,

Am not a pilot, but was wondering about this.

In commercial aviation, and I guess for private flying also, when
directions are given, are they assumed to be True or Magnetic ?

What do pilots use these days for direction ?
I assume a gyro compass of some sort but am not sure. Is this correct ?
If so, is this Magnetic or True ?

I can't believe they spend the effort converting from one to another.
Do they ?

Are chart roses they use shown as True or Mag. ?

What's in the cockpit ?
Do they still have a Mag. compass there ?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Bob wrote:
Hello,

Am not a pilot, but was wondering about this.

In commercial aviation, and I guess for private flying also, when
directions are given, are they assumed to be True or Magnetic ?

Almost everything is magnetic.

What do pilots use these days for direction ?
I assume a gyro compass of some sort but am not sure. Is this correct ?
If so, is this Magnetic or True ?

Gyro based direction indicators are set from the magentic compass and are
called heading indicators.

The true gyrocompasses used in ships are not used in airplanes.

I can't believe they spend the effort converting from one to another.
Do they ?

Yes.

Are chart roses they use shown as True or Mag. ?

Depends on what you mean by "chart roses".

Aviation charts have rings around VOR stations that are magnetic.

They also have true NSEW grid lines and lines showing the local magnetic
variation.

What's in the cockpit ?
Do they still have a Mag. compass there ?

It is one of the few instruments required by regulation for all airplanes.

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

OK, there are more than just floating needle magnetic compasses these days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluxgate_compass

Thanks,
Bob

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On May 30, 5:28*pm, Bob wrote:
Hello,

Am not a pilot, but was wondering about this.

In commercial aviation, and I guess for private flying also, when
directions are given, are they assumed to be True or Magnetic ?

What do pilots use these days for direction ?
I assume a gyro compass of some sort but am not sure. *Is this correct ?
If so, is this Magnetic or True ?

I can't believe they spend the effort converting from one to another.
Do they ?

Are chart roses they use shown as True or Mag. ?

What's in the cockpit ?
Do they still have a Mag. compass there ?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

Winds aloft are given with true, but we use magnetic for aviation/
navigation. We have magnetic compasses in the cockpit, and we set the
DG to correspond to it. Part of most preflight checklists, especially
instrument flight rules flights, is (or should be) to verify that the
magnetic compass is working. Nav compass roses are magnetic on the
charts we use.

"a" wrote
Winds aloft are given with true, but we use magnetic for aviation/
navigation. We have magnetic compasses in the cockpit, and we set the
DG to correspond to it. Part of most preflight checklists, especially
instrument flight rules flights, is (or should be) to verify that the
magnetic compass is working. Nav compass roses are magnetic on the
charts we use.

It should be noted that minimum instruments for single engine aircraft
include magnetic compass. I don't know how far up the aircraft size this
holds true.
--
Jim in NC

On May 30, 4:28*pm, Bob wrote:

What's in the cockpit ?
Do they still have a Mag. compass there ?

Hey Bob,

My airplane I used to own would be typical of your GA plane.

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki79yX4bhJ4 for what I had for
equipment that may answer your question.

Video includes startup, runup and shutdown procedures for a Beechcraft
Sundowner. The video was done before I started recording ATC and
intercom communications but you still can hear what I am saying as I
go through the checks.