Compass Rose

A graduated circle painted on a ramp or taxiway of an airport. Compass roses are laid out at a location where local magnetic fields are minimum, and where traffic will not interfere with aircraft using the rose to have their compasses swung (compensated). The graduations of the compass rose are laid out with reference to magnetic north, and they are marked every thirty degrees. To compensate the compass, the aircraft is taxied over the compass rose so it lines up with the directional marks of the rose. The compensating magnets in the compass are adjusted to cause the compass to agree with the direction the aircraft is pointed. A compass rose is also the name of a small circle graduated in 360° increments printed on some navigational charts to show the amount of compass variation at different locations on the chart.