Navigation 2

Magnetic Navigation The Earth's Magnetic North Pole, which is not located at the same spot as the true North Pole. In fact it is currently located in northern Canada and the location of the Magnetic North Pole changes over time moving slightly over the years; so when navigating it is important to account for the difference between Magnetic North and True North. Magnetic Declination or Variation is the angle between True North and the Magnetic North at a particular location and time. If the magnetic pole lies East of the true pole then the compass needle will point east of true North and vice versa. That declination is called East declination. Maps used for navigation will indicate the magnetic declination on the map. They will also contain lsogonic lines, which are lines on the map joining places that have the same magnetic declination. Maps are periodically updated with new magnetic declination as the magnetic North pole moves. Transponder and ELTS A Transponder is a "Transmitter/ Responder" which is an electronic device that emits a response when it receives a radio interrogation. They are used to allow Air Traffic Controllers to identify aircraft on their radars, they can also be used in collision avoidance systems. An ELT is an "Electronic Locator Transmitter" this is a device that sends out a signal on a specific frequency (121.50 MHz) when an aircraft crashes or has an accident. Navigation As a RPAS pilot and operator there are three key aviation charts and resources you will need to plan your operations. Understanding how to read these charts, and becoming intimately familiar with them will be key to successfully planning operations. VFR Navigation Charts (VNC) VFR Terminal Area Charts (VTA) Canada Flight Supplement (CFS)