When turning right from a southerly heading in the northern hemisphere, what happens to the magnetic compass?

When turning right from a southerly heading in the northern hemisphere, the behavior of the magnetic compass is influenced by a phenomenon known as magnetic dip and the Earth's magnetic field. As the aircraft turns, the compass reacts to the change in heading, but due to its mechanical construction and the principles of magnetism, it does not immediately indicate the new heading as one might expect.

In this scenario, when the aircraft turns right, the magnetic compass tends to lag behind the actual turn. This occurs because of the inertia of the compass card and the principles of magnetic dip. As the aircraft begins its right turn, the compass will initially show a heading that is more than the actual heading of the aircraft, as it takes time for the compass to catch up with the new direction. This means that the reading on the compass does not accurately reflect the instantaneous position of the aircraft, which can lead to a longer initial indication of the heading than is true.

This behavior is specific to the northern hemisphere when turning right from a southerly heading, highlighting the importance of understanding how the compass operates under different conditions and headings to ensure accurate navigation.