AviationBanter - View Single Post

**Mxsmanic** · April 4th 07, 08:42 AM posted to rec.aviation.student,rec.aviation.piloting

writes:

Where do you get a true north compass?

Aviation uses magnetic compasses less and less, and every other navigation
method works best with true north.

Your comment about magnetic south being unusable is just asinine.

Magnetic south isn't exactly the opposite of magnetic north on the Earth's
surface, so if one entity uses it, all must use it, or make constant
corrections to convert between the two. In fact, the failure of the line
between the poles to pass through the center of the planet introduces
additional complications into precise use of a compass. Not to mention the
many other factors that get in the way.

Early navigators used it because they had nothing better. Today there are
lots of things that are better.

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