YOUR MAGNETIC COMPASS REMAINS THE ‘OLD RELIABLE’

Our Rodney Dangerfield of instrumentation needs more respect.

LEROY COOK

Of all the gadgetry in airplane cockpits, the magnetic compass is probably the least regarded, least used, and least understood. And yet, it deserves understanding and respect, because it is often the most steadily reliable navigational reference we have. Often referred to as the “whiskey compass,” “wet compass,” or “standby compass,” the magnetic compass is a required item per FAR 91.205 for flight in nearly every category and class of aircraft. It’s considered to be that important because being able to find your way across the surface of the Earth is crucial to the successful completion of a trip. The magnetic compass is utterly reliable because it has no power source to fail, so long as the Earth’s magnetic field endures. AHRS (attitude/heading reference system) units and spinning iron gyros…

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Plane & Pilot (Digital) - 1 Issue, January/February 2024

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