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How do you perform q compass swing on e2b compass fitted on an sf260 aircraft?

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Question added by addmore vusa nkomo , Senior instrumentation and control technician , Pro control Instrumentation
Date Posted: 2016/03/14
Mohammad Pervez
by Mohammad Pervez , Manager Quality & Safety (SMS) , Etihad Sugar Mills Limited (Aviation Division)

I was monitored and observed the compass swing as a quality Manager. 

Jeffrey Mayo Sr
by Jeffrey Mayo Sr , Owner , Mayos Testing

First of all, I would consult the maintenance procedure's book for that aircraft and whatever regulatory commissions requires such as the FAA.

The basic steps are as follows:

 

You'll need a small, brass, non-magnetic screwdriver and an airport with a compass rose. A compass rose is a pattern painted on the ground which accurately depicts magnetic headings. If you can't find an airport that has one, you can sometimes make your own using the known magnetic orientation of the runways at an airport. Be careful, just because a runway is marked "27" doen't mean it is oriented at 270º. It might be 274º or 268º. Check with your state aeronautics department to get the precise orientation.

Position the aircarft at a known north heading using the compass rose or runway reference. WARNING: most compass compensators turn only one-half turn (180º). Turning more than that can ruin the instrument. Compensators are usually capable of together producing a +/-20º correction, which should be more than enough.

1. With the aircraft oriented North, the engine running, and all radios switched on, adjust the N-S adjusting screw until the compass reads due North, or 0º.

2. Rotate the aircraft to a known East heading, and use the E-W adjusting screw to make the compass read due East, or 90º

3. Rotate the aircraft to a known South heading. Note how many degrees off South the compass reads. Turn the N-S adjusting screw to remove one-half of the error.

4. Rotate the aircraft to a known West heading. Note how many degrees off West the compass reads. Adjust the E-W adjusting screw to remove one-half of the error.

5. Rotate the aircraft through the N,S,E,W headings again, confirming that the errors for North and South are the same, and the errors for East and West are the same. You may want to repeat steps 1-4 to fine tune the correction.

6. Now rotate the aircraft from North, stopping at each 30º point on the compass rose (e.g., N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, etc.) Make a note of the actual compass reading at each point, and complete the compass calibration card, which you should then mount near the compass for reference.

 

Akeel Abdul Jabbar Tahir Al Hayali
by Akeel Abdul Jabbar Tahir Al Hayali , Aircraft Engineering & Line/Production Maintenance & FAA A&P , United Nations

Well, Mr. Nkomo, it is very simple and obvious to answer such basic elementary question, that is good for you to ask always when you are in doubt, YOU MAN MUST TO GO TO THE BIBLE OF THE TYPE OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE MANUAL, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN SUCH TEST OR CALIBRATION, IS THE CERTIFIED AS MAGNET FREE TESTING AREA, IF IT IS IN THE AIRPORT OF THE AVIATION FACILITIES, YOU MUST BE SURE OF THAT FIRST OF ALL. Compass Swing it does not defer that much from basic types of aircraft, it is not a big deal compared to the big jet liners that we are the professionals in the aviation field do consider as a fraction matter to the safety and MEL requirement,   GPS IS MORE IN USE BUT STILL THE NORTH POLE MAGNETIC FIELD STILL WORKS AS A BASIC DIRECTION FINDING TOOL, ALWAYS BACK TO THE TYPE OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE MANUAL. FREE YOUR MIND FROM ANY STATIC ELECTRICITY BEFORE DOING THE COMPASS SWING TESTS, IT DOES EFFECT THE ACCURACY OF THE TEST TOO.    

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