La Polla, Ernesto - The magnetic compass in aviation (1918)

La Polla، Ernesto - The magnetic compass in aviation (1918)

In 1918, the only navigation device for navigating a route on an airplane was the compass. It is therefore not surprising that this small instrument is the subject of a book intended for student pilots.

After some general considerations, this manual describes the fundamentals of the compass through the magnetic needle, magnetic declination, isogonic lines and magnetic deflection.

The principles governing the correct installation of the compass on board the aircraft, as well as the regular verification of its suspension are explained. The author then reviews the choice of a route and the methods for correcting compass errors: declination, magnetic deviation, semicircular deviation, quadrantal deviation and drift corrections.

It ends with the description of some models of compasses in service in the Italian Air Force in 1918.

The author, Colonel Ernesto La Polla, (1872 - 1951) is considered one of the fathers of Italian bombing aviation during the First World War. He particularly distinguished himself between 1917 and 1918, as commander of the bombing group during the battle of the solstice, and was one of the organizers and planners of the flight over Vienna carried out by Gabriele D'Annunzio. Decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy and a silver medal for its military value, in 1919, after the end of the war, he was the organizer of the Rome-Tokyo raid led by Guido Masiero and Arturo Ferrarin.

96 pages - in Italian