14CFR Part 43 Appendix D describes what has to happen during an annual inspection. A compass swing is not mentioned. In fact, every paragraph other than the first specifies an INSPECTION to be performed, not any sort of maintenance procedure ("(b) Each person performing an annual or 100-hour inspection shall inspect (where applicable) the following components..."). The first paragraph merely requires the removal of all necessary inspection plates and the cleaning of the aircraft. So no, a compass swing is not required by the FAA as part of the annual. It's possible the MANUFACTURER of the aircraft may require a swing, but it's not an FAA requirement. Ron Wanttaja
Depends on the annual checklist being used by the IA as some OEM inspection forms call it out to check mag compass. There is guidance on when it should be swung (below) but there is no FAA regulatory requirement to swing the compass for an annual inspection. http://www.faa-aircraft-certification.com/support-files/ac43_13_1b_sec_3.pdf
The IA is in charge, they say what is required. my ink, my rules The compass must be there, but it is not required to be accurate, but it must be fully equipped
I ask the owner.....If it's all there I don't question it. The IA is responsible for signing off the conformity to the type certificate....it must all conform. And one year we did replace a compass....it leaked out and was empty. That did require a new swing with a new error card.
Check in the inspection section to see what they state on a mag compass. http://www.google.com/url?q=http://...FjAAegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw1OGxLkJ7V3KGtGQhEi9YDW
One important question: Does the plane currently have a compass correction card? If not, and if the data for one is not logged somewhere, a compass swing will be required to generate a new one. Ron Wanttaja
The only times I've had the compass swung is when installing a new compass or doing major changes in avionics, which could change the magnetic environment of the compass. Mostly, my compass is a mess with significant deviations on most headings. Always been that way. Must have a lodestone in the panel somewhere. The GMU-11 in the right wingtip is amazingly accurate, though.
The biggest issue with compasses in annuals is that the IA notices that you don't have a compass correction card. That's a pretty serious omission and he's likely to list that as an item that makes your plane unairworthy.
In Canada, it is part of the annual, so it is supposed to be done every year. Lots of "Parker Swings" go on. In the US, as someone mentioned, their compass hasn't been swung in years. I wish it was in between, once ever two or three years as long as nothing has been changed.
Never been done on a plane I own, as a routine part of an annual. I’d want the plane to go in with a compass card nearby, nothing to raise a fuss over. As obvious, I’d want the compass to at least be ballpark when lined up on runway headings & perpendicular taxiways. OBTW, I do like my new SIRS compass, my old 70’s compass developed issues, the leak was the last straw.
