Turning errors occur where?

• A. East and West
• B. North and South
• C. Up and Down
• D. Left and Right

Answer: (B)

Turning errors are a property of the magnetic compass, which is a simple magnet affected by the Earth’s magnetic field and by the aircraft’s motion. When you begin or finish a turn, the compass needle tends to lag behind the actual heading, creating a temporary misreading. This effect is most noticeable when the aircraft’s heading is toward or away from magnetic north or south, because the magnetic field is aligned with those directions and the dip of the field interacts with the turning motion. As a result, the turning error shows up most prominently on north and south headings.