One of the things I love about Rogers Data is the detailed information they provide about their products, from how to use their navigation equipment to how to care for your purchases. Their instructional video for the Navigation Compass 500 is brilliant for student pilots, clearly demonstrating how to use the compass to calculate flight time, heading, reciprocal track and track time measurement. Watch it below.
The compass itself is multifunctional combining a sectional plotter, time-speed-distance computer, ruler and navigation compass template all in a single device. It was designed by pilots for charts on the scale of 1:500.000 and though it might look daunting it is incredibly easy to use. There’s 20% off the Navigation Compass 500 all this week on Pilot.ie
For those of you in the early days of learning to fly here’s a little guide as to some of the key things you might need a compass for and how the RD Navigation Compass 500 can help you do it.
Distance measurement:
The scale at the top of the front side of the Rogers Data navigation compass can be used to read the distance between two points on a sectional chart. On the scale below the mark the distances in NM (nautical miles) can be read using the tips of the two legs of the navigation compass. Conversely, distances on the navigation compass can be set and transmitted onto a chart by means of the tips.
Flight time:
In order to determine the time of flight use the tips of the navigation compass to pick up the distance between two waypoints. In addition, you can read the time required in minutes for your intended speed on the mounted concentric circles scale below the label.
Heading:
To determine the heading use the Rogers Data navigation compass with the back positioned on the chart in such a way that the leg with the aircraft symbol comes to rest on the course line and the aircraft symbol and the line with the word “Intended Track“ shows in the desired direction of flight. The second leg is to be rotated in such a way that the line is drawn through the entire middle of the navigation compass and the lines are parallel to a meridian in the sectional chart and the word “Meridian North” defines true north. The heading is shown on the mark readable exactly to one degree.
Reciprocal track:
The reciprocal track can easily be determined in a single step with the previously described method for determining the heading. Read the opposite track on the Rogers Data navigation compass at the designated “Opposite Track” Marker where it meets the scale.
Speed measurement:
The groundspeed can be determined when using the Rogers Data navigation compass in combination with the chart. The time for a distance covered is known and the route is taken from the chart by means of the tips of the navigation compass. For this purpose, the known time on the mounted concentric compass scale below the label must be determined and assigned to the respective speed.
