Compass Deviation Card AWOL

Deelee

Deelee

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Feb 12, 2019
Messages
1,783
Display Name
Display name:
Deelee
Ok, asking for a friend.... And this friend did some light googling and was a bit confused about several of the answers since some of them conflict. So this friend asked me to post this here...

Friend has a new-to-him airplane that came with a compass deviation card. Friend flew the plane back home, did a few flights then noticed that the compass deviation card was no longer in its rightful place under the magnetic compass. He looked high and low for it and can't find it.

Friend wants to know what the procedure is for getting a new one created. Friend has a WAAS GPS and an EFD - no vacuum DG anymore... so no DG to set every time the stupid thing precesses like in his old 172 he used to fly and it would precess every 10 damn minutes... okok digression...

Pretty sure my buddy can't just create his own card based on headings off the DG or the EFD's heading. If he can't do that, how much money is it going to cost to pay someone to do this? And can an A&P do this or does it have to go somewhere fancy.

Friend is pretty sure his aircraft also won't be able to be used for IR checkride that he might be planning in the near future. Friend is pretty bummed that he will probably have to spend money on getting this done....
 
Your friend needs better friends. My friend’s friend is an A&P so my friend’s compass correction card cost him about a half case of cheap beer. (Fun fact: A&P’s don’t like expensive beer.)
 
Check the plane’s maintenance logs. I heard (that means I could be wrong) that if an A&P “swings the compass” to create a new deviation card, he should also record the data in the log. Just copy it.

-Skip
 
Last edited:
Legally, it requires a compass swing, which can only be done by an avionics tech. I know a guy who said he'd lost a compass correction card, who got a blank one and wrote a bunch of numbers on it. It looked a lot like the one he lost.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
Legally, it requires a compass swing, which can only be done by an avionics tech. I know a guy who said he'd lost a compass correction card, who got a blank one and wrote a bunch of numbers on it. It looked a lot like the one he lost.
Click to expand...
It sounds like my friend over-paid his A&P with the cheap beer! :)
 
I thought so, but my A&P said he couldn't. Maybe he was just trying to get rid of me!
 
Put a blank card in there, with a dirty thumb-print. The ink on most cards is so faded so you can’t read most of em anyway. No one will ever know.

Legal? Nope? Funny? I think so (this be POA).

Disclaimer- don’t do that.
 
Are we absolutely positive a pilot/owner can't swing his own compass (no double-entendre intended)?
 
From the AC Bell206 posted:
  1. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Compass calibration, adjustment of compass compensators, and/or preparation of an aircraft compass correction table are aircraft maintenance procedures, as defined in 14 CFR part 1, § 1.1. Certificated airframe mechanics and certificated repair stations (CRS) with the appropriate ratings are authorized to perform a compass swing, which includes adjustment of compass compensators. Repairs or alterations to a compass may only be made by a CRS holding an appropriate instrument or limited instrument rating.


  1. I'm not sure, but I think "appropriate instrument or limited instrument rating" might mean avionics tech?
 
Any chance there was a picture of said card in the ad for the new plane? Blow it up so you can read the numbers and reproduce it.
 
I could scan mine and send it to you....;)
 
Just buy a blank card from Spruce & fill it out. You know, the 2-3 degrees of ‘correction’ for most of the data blanks. Just check headings as you take a runway or perpendicular taxiway. There are a lot of way to check headings, just look at the roads in Iowa.

One doesn’t want to go into annual without a compass deviation card. There are better ways to spend that $$.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
I'm not sure, but I think "appropriate instrument or limited instrument rating" might mean avionics tech?
Click to expand...
FYI: the "instrument" ratings apply only to a certified repair station. As shown in the same paragraph above a mechanic only needs an airframe rating, i.e., the A of an A&P. There's technically no "avionics tech" rating within the FARs but a number of people who specialize in avionics or electrical work will have an A rating so they can sign off work.
 
Thinking I'm gonna take a picture of my Deviation card.
asking for a friend ..... Think it will get me into any of those deviated places ?
 
Bell206 said:
FYI: the "instrument" ratings apply only to a certified repair station. As shown in the same paragraph above a mechanic only needs an airframe rating, i.e., the A of an A&P. There's technically no "avionics tech" rating within the FARs but a number of people who specialize in avionics or electrical work will have an A rating so they can sign off work.
Click to expand...
It's called a repairman cert. and only valid for the repair station he works for, no freelance on his own.
 
brien23 said:
It's called a repairman cert. and only valid for the repair station he works for, no freelance on his own.
Click to expand...
True in some cases. But, for example, in the CRS I worked at as a day job a number of the avionics/electrical guys had "A" certificates as well as the S/M guys. Most "upgraded" their repairman certs to an A mechanic in order to work outside of the CRS system on company aircraft and other aircraft. I did the same in mx when I went from helper to repairman to A&P.
 
Cost me $150 about a a month ago at GMU. Had to get a new one before my check ride.
 
The old one was probably inaccurate anyway. If your friend is bummed about needing a new deviation card, he's going to be bummed frequently during his ownership of an airplane.
 
i recently had one done because the old one (really old) was in pieces. I recently installed a new radio, and had an Instrument check ride coming up, so asked my avionics guy to swing the compass and create a new card while doing the radio. Think it was just over 1 hour labor. I just wanted one less thing for the DPE to ask about, and he even acknowledge the new card. Now that you mention it i will take a picture of that thing. Do i use it, no. but one less thing to worry about being "right".
 
Friend will probably end up having the card swung then... since he won't have to worry about it during checkride. But he is going to scour the interior (especially under the seats) hoping to find the old one.
 
I would be looking back through pics of the airplane to see if there is a picture good enough to copy it.
 
Bell206 said:
Ha. Or maybe he doesn't have access to the tools to perform the calibration. If you have an accurate GPS installed in the aircraft you can also air swing the mag compass. This is the latest guidance.
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43-215.pdf
Click to expand...

Great reference document! Thank you!

Skip Miller said:
Check the plane’s maintenance logs. I heard (that means I could be wrong) that if an A&P “swings the compass” to create a new deviation card, he should also record the data in the log. Just copy it.
-Skip
Click to expand...

The FAA article above say:
11.1 Logbook Entry. A compass calibration is a maintenance action and requires an entry in the maintenance records for the aircraft.

Therefore, it is possible the result may be logged in the logbook.
 
upload_2020-9-17_7-27-40.png

Card dimensions are 1.625" x 1.00"

This is for the OEM magnetic compass in my Warrior mounted to the windshield center post atop a steam gauge panel. If you want a photo of the panel, PM me.
 
Airplanes still have a compass?
 
bnt83 said:
I would be looking back through pics of the airplane to see if there is a picture good enough to copy it.
Click to expand...

My buddy found an old video of the plane the previous owner sent... the card is hanging up there right under the compass... But he can't get a good zoom on it! Damn. So close!! Why can't this be like those CSI TV shows where there is magic software that can enlarge something from a low-res photo so it can be read???

compass_card.GIF

Domenick said:
Card dimensions are 1.625" x 1.00"

This is for the OEM magnetic compass in my Warrior mounted to the windshield center post atop a steam gauge panel. If you want a photo of the panel, PM me.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That's what, my um friend's card looked like.... but much older.

WDD said:
Airplanes still have a compass?
Click to expand...

I guess.... I think it is that round thing that hangs off the center pillar. Also have an EFD with AHRS and a GPS... So.... yeah.
 
Deelee said:
My buddy found an old video of the plane the previous owner sent... the card is hanging up there right under the compass... But he can't get a good zoom on it! Damn. So close!! Why can't this be like those CSI TV shows where there is magic software that can enlarge something from a low-res photo so it can be read???
Click to expand...

 
Ahahah yeah that is classic! Enhance... enhance... enhance.....
 
Ah thanks.... My friend's seat...

He may be able to blow up that grainy low-res pick to reproduce something like your and Domenick's
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top