General Navigation Flashcards
Polar diameter vs equatorial diameter
Polar diameter is 23NM less than equatorial diameter
Geoid definition
The shape the Earth would take if it were entirely ocean, ignoring tides and winds.
Value for compression of the Earth
0.33% (=1/298)
This is used to calculate semi-minor from semi-major axis of earth (or vice versa).
Geoid Model for ICAO
World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
This is the system used by USA and therefore GPS.
UK Ordnance Survey use OS36, France and Europe use other systems. Can cause lat long differences.
Inclination of polar axis to orbit around the sun
23.5 degrees
Quadrantal directions
NW, SW, NE, SE
Meridians
Semi-great circles connecting the two poles through a point on the equator.
Anti-meridian
The meridian which makes up a great circle along with a given meridian.
Graticule
The grid formed on a map or globe by the Prime Meridian, equator, meridians and parallels of latitude.
Identification of positions on globe relative to lat/long (units)
Great circle divided into 360 degrees.
Each degree divided into 60 minutes (‘).
Each minute divided into 60 seconds (‘’).
Geocentric vs Geodetic latitude
Geocentric is angle from centre of the Earth (spherical) to the point on the surface.
Geodetic draws a normal line at the point on the surface we are identifying and extends a line at 90 degrees to the equator. Since Earth is not a sphere this doesn’t join centre of the Earth.
Do we use geocentric or geodetic latitudes?
Geodetic latitude is used
Where is the biggest difference between geocentric and geodetic latitude?
At about 45deg N/S, difference of about 11.6 minutes of arc.
Latitudes of:
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
Arctic Circle
Antarctic Circle
Tropic of Cancer: 23.5 deg N
Tropic of Capricorn: 23.5 deg S
Arctic Circle: 66.5 deg N
Antarctic Circle: 66.5 deg S
[Note 90 - 23.5 = 66.5]
Resolution of reporting of lat & long
At first level report degrees & minutes.
Then can go to decimal minutes (one DP).
Next level is minutes & seconds.
For further accuracy, one or two DP can be added to seconds.
Recall 1 minute = 1NM (latitude, or longitude only @ equator)
Great Circle Vertices
Northern and Southern vertex of a great circle are the most Northerly and Southerly points on that great circle.
Calculating track angle and latitude of great circle intersection with equator, given Northern or Southern vertex.
Intersection latitude: 90 degrees either side of the latitude of vertices.
Track angle: 270 + longitude, 90 - longitude [one may need a reciprocal depending on direction across intersection]
Rhumb line
Curved line on surface of the Earth which intersects all meridians at the same angle (so parallel to parallels of latitude).
Appears straight on a mercator chart, but in reality is not the shortest distance between 2 points.
Note a meridian is also a rhumb line (intersecting at zero degrees).
Definition of km
1/10000th of average distance between equator and pole.
i.e. earths circumference is 40,000km
ICAO nautical mile definition
1852m
[Note 852 is line down middle of calculator]
Standard Nautical Mile definition
6,080 feet
Circumference of Earth
40,000km
360*60 = 21,600NM
Real length of nautical mile at equator and poles
Due to geodetic measurement of latitude, 1NM is shortest at the equator (6,048ft) and longest at poles (6,108ft).
How variation is stated
Degrees E or W (and minutes) from true North
Isogonal
A line on surface of the Earth joining points of equal magnetic variation
Points of maximum variation
180 degrees when in between the true and magnetic poles (either North or South)
Agonic Line
Line of zero variation
2 of them, together with lines of maximum (180deg) variation between true and magnetic poles, create a full circle around the Earth.
Regular changes in variation over time (3)
Secular: Long term movement of magnetic poles
Annual: Sinusoidal, due to orbit of Earth around the sun
Diurnal: Sinusoidal, due to ionosphere height, up to 0.1deg change over day.
Unpredictable changes in variation over time (2)
Solar activity: Due to 11 year cycles of solar activity. Solar flares are predictable but impact on Earth is not. Has impacted variation by up to 7 degrees.
Local anomalies: Due to rock deposits and local magnetic phenomena. Small enough effect to ignore.
Directive Force
The horizontal component of magnetic force which is useful in determining direction of magnetic north.
Dip angle
The angle between horizontal and the magnetic force experienced by compass
Isoclinals
Lines on a map joining locations of equal magnetic dip
Aclinic lines
Isoclinals joining places with zero dip (the point on earth where compass is most accurate, as directive force is strongest and dip is weakest).
Deviation
The angle between direction indicated by compass needle and the direction of magnetic north (direction defined as from magnetic north to compass north).
Direction can be defined W or E, or alternatively - or +.
Vertical card compass
- description
- aka
AKA B-type or E-type
1 of the 2 types of direct reading compass
Circular compass card attached directly to magnet assembly, suspended in liquid.
This is the typical light aircraft compass.
Grid Ring compass
- description
- aka
AKA P-type
1 of the 2 types of direct reading compass.
Accurate, but bulky and expensive, has damping wires which give greater periodicity.
Can only be measured in S&L flight when grid ring is unclamped.
Features required for direct reading compass
- Horizontal
- Sensitive
- Aperiodic
Horizontality of compass
- How it is achieved/increased
Achieved by being “pendulously suspended”, i.e. hung from a higher point so that the weight of the magnet offsets the effect of dip, reducing tilt to about 2 degrees.
Sensitivity of compass
- How it is increased
Length of magnets is restricted so use 2, 4 or 6 short magnets, or circular magnet made of an alloy with high magnetism.
Also reduce friction by using iridium-tipped pivot in jewelled cup, lubricating the pivot with the compass bowl liquid and reducing the magnets effective weight due to the liquid.
Aperiodicity of compass
- What is it?
Compass needs to be “dead beat”.
Means that it settles down quickly after disturbance due to turbulence or manoeuvres.
Aperiodicity of compass
- How is it increased?
Several short magnets instead of one long one keeps mass central and reduces moment of inertia on turns.
Compass liquids primary purpose is as a damping liquid.
Grid ring compasses have damping wires.
Compass accuracy limit
CS-OPS1: +/- 10deg
Purpose of compass swing
1 - Observe deviations
2 - Correct/remove deviation as far as possible
3 - Measure residual deviation
Hard Iron Magnetism
(In relation to deviation)
Magnetic force at the compass position due to the aircraft, regardless of heading and not induced by external magnetic fields.
Hard Iron Magnetism
- Relationship with latitude
The magnetic force doesn’t change with latitude, however the resulting deviation does as the horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic field reduces at higher latitudes. Thus the deviation effect of hard iron magnetism increases at higher altitudes.
Soft Iron Magnetism in relation to deviation
Magnetic force induced in the aircraft due to surrounding fields.
We focus on vertical soft iron (VSI) magnetism, induced by vertical component of Earths magnetic field.
[Note: Zero @ magnetic equator as no vertical component]
Soft Iron Magnetism
- Relationship with latitude
At increasing latitudes VSI increases due to effective increase in Z (vertical component) vs H (horizontal component) of earths magnetic force.
Thus max deviation = Z / H = tan(dip angle).
Soft Iron Magnetism
- Relationship with heading
This effectively creates a dummy magnet somewhere on the aircraft, which creates a sine wave impact on deviation as heading varies and its position moves relative to the compass and magnetic north.
A, B and C coefficients of correction of deviation
Coefficient A: Mechanical error due to lubber line positioning, corrected by adjusting compass body position.
Coefficient B & C: Corrections due to magnetic deviation forces acting on the compass. B measured on East/West heading, C on North/South heading.
RAM Rise
Difference between Total Air Temperature (i.e. measured) and Static Air Temperature (SAT) (i.e. real OAT) due to impact of compressibility, kinetic & adiabatic issues with measured OAT.
Roughly (TAS/100)^2 [TAS in kt], but use the blue part of CRP-5.
Calculating SAT/COAT from indicated OAT based on high speed (RAM rise)
True OAT (COAT) is less than indicated OAT
Use blue scale on CRP-5 to find the difference
Calibrated Air Speed (CAS)
AKA Rectified Air Speed (RAS)
IAS corrected for:
- Pressure (Position) error
- Instrument error
Equivalent Air Speed (EAS)
CAS corrected for compressibility error.
Deals with the fact that air density isn’t 1.225kg/m3.
Only relevant for TAS over 300kt, if below this figure don’t carry out a correction in test.
Which speed is “air distance” based on?
TAS
CRP-5: Compressibility correction
Set up for CAS conversion to TAS using airspeed window (altitude and temp).
If TAS > 300kt, use COMP. CORR. window, calculate TAS/100 - 3 (as indicated) and turn the correct number of divisions in COMP. CORR.
Now read off CAS against TAS again.
CRP-5: Mach to TAS
Line up mach number indicator in air speed window with temperature.
Now read mach number off inner ring against TAS in outer ring.
NOTE - DOES NOT DEPEND ON ALTITUDE/FLIGHT LEVEL!
CALC - TAS = MN x 38.95 x sqrt(K)
CRP-5: Indicated altitude to true altitude
Line up temperature and pressure altitude in the ALTITUDE window. Read off indicated altitude in inner window against true altitude in outer window.
NOTE: Indicated altitude = QNH, pressure altitude = 1012, use both here.
Density Altitude calculation
Can use CRP-5 but not accurate - Line up pressure alt and temp in the AIRSPEED window, read off the density altitude window.
Use Density Altitude =
Pressure Altitude + (ISA Deviation x 120)
CRP-5: Multi-drift winds
Take 3 estimates of drift @ 60 degrees to each other.
Centre the dot on TAS and select each heading, drawing a line along the relevant drift angle (e.g. draw over the 5 port line).
The 3 lines should cross together at a point you can measure using the wind section.
Note on 2 drift winds
This can be done reasonably accurately if estimating drift using VOR tracking (figure out the heading required to maintain VOR radial gives you drift).
Don’t get a third cut to confirm drift, but shouldn’t need it due to better drift estimates.
CRP-5: Combine multiple wind vectors
Plot first wind on grid section, with dot at zero. For next wind, set direction, line the first “x” up with the top line of the grid and count down the grid by appropriate speed. Keep going with all winds.
NOTE: Final speed needs to be divided by number of wind vectors (an average speed, not a distance)
Consequence of 1 in 60 rule on assessing height based on glide slope
Height = Glidepath angle x Distance to go (ft) / 60
[NOTE: If question refers to runway threshold, add 50ft to height]
Consequence of 1 in 60 rule on rate of descent based on 3 degree glide slope
For a 3 degree glide scope:
ROD (feet per minute) = 5 x Ground Speed (kts)
Other glide slopes adjusted linearly
[Change in speed calculations also just 5 x change in ground speed]
Convert glidescope degrees to %
Percentage glidescope x 0.6 = Degrees glidescope