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Direct Reading Compass Errors

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Direct Reading Compass  

Errors
 by K.Haroon » Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:59 pm

Direct Reading Compass Errors

The pendulous suspension system of a compass counteracts

some of the effects of dip. K.Haroon
Site Admin

Posts: 1346
However the magnets are not absolutely horizontal. Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 2:07
am
Contact: 
The Centre of Gravity is not directly underneath the pivot.

Therefore the systems is subject to turning and acceleration

errors.

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Acceleration Errors

Consider an aircraft heading west in the Northern Hemisphere

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The heading datum is on 270°.

There will be residual dip towards the north end of the

needle.

So the CG will be just south of the pivot.

On acceleration the inertia of the magnet (acting through the

CG) will tend to rotate the needle anti-clockwise.

If the compass card is attached to the needle there will be an

apparent turn toward North during the acceleration.

The heading datum would reads more than 270° (i.e. an

apparent turn to the north).

As the aircraft steadies at the new speed the heading will

come back to 270°.

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On deceleration the opposite would happen i.e. an apparent

turn to the south.

Even on an easterly heading acceleration will cause an

apparent turn to the north.

Therefore in the Northern Hemisphere, the acceleration

produces an apparent turn toward North.

Whereas in the Southern Hemisphere the effects are reversed

i.e. acceleration produces an apparent turn towards South.

On the aclinic line there will be no error.

Z Field Effect (Acceleration)

Error caused by the Z field (Earth's vertical field component)

effect always acts in the same direction as the error caused
by inertia.

When the magnet lies beneath the pivot, the Z field can have
no turning effect.

During acceleration the magnet is left behind (because of

inertia) and no longer lies vertically beneath the pivot.

The Z field can now exert a turning force on the dipped end
of the magnet.

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The magnet can only turn by rotating about the pivot, causing
the already dipped north-seeking end to move downwards
under the influence of the Z field.

The magnet therefore moves in a clockwise direction when

viewed from above.

So inertia induced error and Z field error in fact

complimentary.

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Turning Errors

A turn is effectively an acceleration towards the center of

curvature of the turn.

It is the effect of inertia and Z field which cause turn errors.

The figure shows an aircraft during a turn from 315°M through

north onto 045°M, in the northern hemisphere.

The aircraft is presently passing through 360°.

The acceleration force (towards the centre of curvature of

the turn) is acting through the pivot and the reaction to this
force is acting through the centre of gravity of the magnet.

The result is that, during the turn, the magnet will swing
clockwise when viewed from above.

Consequently the compass will under-read.

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Similarly turning from 045°through north onto 315°, the

acceleration force and the reaction to it will caused the
magnet to swing anti-clockwise when viewed from above.

The compass will over-read during the turn this time.

On an easterly heading there will be no error because the

force will act in line and not across.

On southerly headings again there will be errors.

So turning errors are a maximum when turning through North

and South.

They are zero turning through East and West.

Turning errors are a function of dip, so would be a maximum

at the poles.

They will be zero on the aclinic line.

They work in the opposite sense in the Southern magnetic

hemisphere.

Turning errors are a function of bank angle, with greater

errors at greater bank angles.

Typical values are 20° to 30° for a rate 1 turn in temperate

latitudes.

UK CAA quote the amplitude of turning error for a rate 1 turn

in mid latitudes as 20°

Example:

A pilot wishes to turn left on to a Southerly heading with 20°

bank at a latitude of 20° North. Using a direct reading
magnetic compass, in order to achieve this he must stop the
turn on an approximate heading of:

(a) 200°
(b) 160°

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(c) 180°
(d) 190°

Turning through South in the Northern hemisphere the

compass indication will lead the real heading.

If aircraft heading is 180° and magnet swings clockwise

(which will be the case), the compass will show a value of
less than 180°.

The formular used is bank angle/2 + latitude, as latitude and

bank have an effect when you roll out, but for exams 20-30°
can be used.

So 160 is the correct option.

So turns through the near pole produce lag and through the
far pole lead.

North pole is the nearer pole in northern hemisphere

whereas south pole is the further one

"Lag" or "Sluggish" means that compass heading is lagging

behind the aircraft heading.

"Lead" or "Lively" means that compass heading is leading

ahead of the aircraft heading.

Z Field Effect (Turning)

The error caused by the Z field effect always acts in the same
direction as the inertia induced error.

Consider an aircraft in the northern hemisphere turning from

315° through north onto 045°.

During the turn, the magnet will be thrown outwards

(towards the high wing) and will no longer be vertically
beneath the pivot.

The Z field component will now cause the dipped (in this case
the north-seeking end) of the magnet to swing downwards

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and clockwise about the pivot.

Clockwise movement of the magnet under the influence of

the Z field complements the displacement of the magnet due
to inertia.

Liquid Swirl

Ideally the compass bowl will have a smooth internal surface

and he full of a low viscosity fluid.

If these conditions are not fully met, there will be a tendency

for the liquid to be dragged around the bowl during turns.

Once in motion, the liquid will continue to swirl under its own
momentum.

The fluid swirl will carry with it the magnetic assembly,

thereby displacing it from its correct orientation.

The displacement will be in the direction of the turn.

A clockwise turn (135° through south to 225°) with liquid

swirl will result in a clockwise turn of the magnets and an
under-reading compass.

Depending on the hemisphere and the direction of turn, the

effect of liquid swirl will either increase or decrease the
turning error.

At the magnetic equator liquid swirl would be the only source

of any turning error.

UK CAA quote the turning error for liquid swirl to be 5°.

Steep Turns

The explanation of turning error above only holds if the sum

of bank angle and dip is less than 90°.

In even moderate latitudes, the dip can be as much as 55°.

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Therefore turns with bank angles of more than 35° in these

cases can make the direct reading compasses completely
unreliable.

Consider an aircraft in level flight heading East in the

Northern hemisphere with the dip angle of 55°.

The north end of the compass card will point towards the left
wingtip.

The compass will show a heading of 090° (no errors).

If the aircraft banks 35° towards right then earth magnetic

field aligns with the vertical axis of the aircraft.

Since there will be no directive force, the compass will not

function.

If the aircraft banks further, the bank angle will increase.

The north end of the compass card will attempting to line up

with the Earth's magnetic field.

This will make the north end of the compass card swing down
towards the right wingtip.

The compass will now indicate 270° instead of 090°.

Turning errors in steep turns can vary from 0° to 180°,

depending on heading.

The most obvious sign that the compass is unreliable is that

the compass card will not rotate through a full 360° in a 360°
turn, it will only vary by about 50°.
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