What is the tick on the compass rose?

Magnetic north. The rose is laid to true north the way the board is, and the tick outside its ring points to magnetic north with the variation beside it (for example 4°W). The variation is read off the airport's own runways: each runway number is its magnetic heading, and the map knows its true heading. It is right to within a few degrees, which is plenty for a wall but not for navigation.

Oct 23, 2026

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