![]() The most effective cockpit location for a compass is in the open areas of the windshield. It is affected magnetically by the proximity of steel objects, including the engine, electrical wiring, welded steel tubular structure and, in particular, most similar metallic objects you might absentmindedly lay on the glareshield in the windshield area. That small liquid, or vertical card, compass most of us have in our cockpit can be temperamental. Sure, that simple inexpensive "whiskey compass" may act dizzy at times or behave oddly when flying over localized areas of magnetic disturbance, but the actual failure of a compass is rare. So, if you have to have a compass, you might as well become better acquainted with it and give it a bit more of your attention and a lot more of your trust. not often maybe, but they do fail while the earth’s magnetic field never does. like the loran or GPS.Įlectrical systems do fail. For one thing, the compass will always be working for you - which is more than you should ever expect of any of your hi-tech electronic gadgets. I guess even the FAA concedes that holding a compass heading within 10 degrees in rough air is a challenging enough accomplishment for most pilots.Īnyway, your compass is a mandatory and useful instrument. This means in level flight your compass deviation error must not be greater than 10 degrees on any heading. Not only that, but your compass must be accurate enough that it won’t lead you astray because of misleading or excessive deviation errors. Even for plain ol’ VFR flying? Yup! Regardless of any other fancy directional equipment you may have. Sorry to downplay the awesome accuracy of your new miracle nav-aids but our omnipotent FAA, in effect, mandates through its FAR 91.33 that you have a functioning magnetic direction indicator (compass) onboard for VFR flying. With a loran and handheld GPS onboard, who needs something as old fashioned as the "whiskey compass"? Who? Why, you do, of course, amigo. ![]()
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