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Compass Swings: A Forgotten Task

That's an adjustment being made to a vertical card compass. Note the brass adjustment tool.

Shops know it’s a chore that needs to be done, but the truth is compass swings are often forgotten during the final stages of avionics projects. Compass calibrations can be time consuming, but done properly the task can pay back big time if the instrument was your only means of backstopping the aircraft’s true magnetic heading.

Luckily, with a bit of knowledge and patience you can periodically check the accuracy of the instrument by swinging it yourself. Here’s a technician’s guide for tweaking the old standard.

Larry Anglisano

Editor in Chief Larry Anglisano has been a staple at Aviation Consumer since 1995. An active land, sea and glider pilot, Larry has over 30 years’ experience as an avionics repairman and flight test pilot. He’s the editorial director overseeing sister publications Aviation Safety magazine, IFR magazine and is a regular contributor to KITPLANES magazine with his Avionics Bootcamp column.