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Ron's Web Site
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Date: 1-2-2011
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Number of Hours: 6.50
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Magnetometer Alignment and Compass Calibration
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I aligned the two magnetometers using the Advanced Flight Systems protocol. A relatively simple process, it does involve turning the aircraft through 360 degrees. After pulling the aircraft four times around, I decided to fire up the engine and do it that way. Much less work, and a lot more fun.
I had hoped to put off swinging my vertical compass until I could fly the aircraft to an airport that has a compass rose, but my local DAR wanted it done before certification. Initially it was problematic, as my vertical compass pretty much wanted to point to a heading of 210 deg. I removed the screws securing the compass and moved it around, and determined that the compass was pointing at the Electroair Electronic Ignition coils located on the other side of the firewall. Degaussing didn't seem a likely solution, so I rummaged around my shop and found a small magnetic disc whose original donor device remains lost to my recollection. After carefully moving the magnet around, I found I could compensate for the ignition coils' influence by putting the disc in a certain position.
I secured the disc in that position using E6000 adhesive, and adjusted the compass compensator screws to minimize the deviation errors, utilizing a calibrated digital compass as the reference. I was able to get the deviation to one degree or less on the cardinal headings, and swung the compass, noting the deviation at 30 deg intervals. I then used MS Word to make a compass card, laminated it after printing and secured it to the infrared monitor case, where the card is relatively visible. I attached the adjustment key to the top panel using one of the panel screws in case I need to use it later.
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Compass deviation correction card.
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Correction Magnet in background, adjustment key in foreground.
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