Direction : basic instrument and Earth’s Magnetic Field

Direction
Basic Instruments
The particular navigator should currently have a fundamental background throughout
navigation to guarantee accurate positioning of the particular aircraft. Dead
reckoning (DR) procedures aided by basic instruments give
the actual navigator the tools to solve the actual three simple problems of
navigation: position of the particular aircraft, direction with destination,
not to mention time of arrival. Utilizing just a standard instrument, including the particular
compass and drift information, you can navigate directly to be able to
any kind of area within the world. Various fixing aids, such as celestial
not to mention radar, may greatly enhance the particular accuracy of simple DR
procedures. This particular chapter discusses the basic instruments utilized
for DR and in addition then critiques the mechanics of DR, plotting, wind
impact, and in addition desktop solutions.
Directional information needed in order to navigate is actually obtained by
use of the earth’s magnetic lines of force. A compass system
uses a device that detects and even converts the actual energy from these
lines of force to an indicator reading. The magnetic compass
operates independently of the actual aircraft electrical systems.
Later developed compass systems require electrical power
with convert many of these lines of force in order to an aircraft heading.
Earth’s Magnetic Field
The earth has some of the properties of a bar magnet;
having said that, its magnetic poles usually are not situated at the geographic
poles, nor tend to be the actual two magnetic poles situated exactly opposite
every other as on a straight bar. The particular north magnetic pole can be
found approximately at 73° N latitude as well as 100° W longitude
on Prince of Wales Island. The particular south magnetic pole is found
at 68° S latitude and in addition 144° E longitude on Antarctica.
The actual earth’s magnetic poles, like those of any magnet, could be
considered with be connected by a number of lines of force. These
lines result within the magnetic field that envelops the particular earth.
They are considered with be emanating within the south magnetic
pole not to mention terminating at the actual north magnetic pole. [Figure 3-1]
The particular force of the actual magnetic field of the earth is divided
into 2 components: the vertical as well as the horizontal. The actual
relative intensity of these two components varies over the particular
earth thus which, at the magnetic poles, the vertical component
is actually at maximum strength and even the horizontal component typically is
minimum strength. At approximately the actual midpoint between
the particular poles, the particular horizontal component typically is at maximum strength
plus the vertical component is actually at minimum strength. Only
the particular horizontal component is chosen as a directive force for a
magnetic compass. Consequently, a magnetic compass loses its
usefulness with regard to an area of weak horizontal force, including the
area around the magnetic poles. The vertical component
causes the end of the particular needle nearer to the particular magnetic pole with
tip as the particular pole is actually approached.  This particular departure

within the horizontal can be called magnetic dip.