When converting from true course to magnetic heading, which adjustments are applied?

• A. Add westerly variation and subtract left wind correction angle
• B. Add easterly variation and add right wind correction angle
• C. Subtract westerly variation and subtract left wind correction angle
• D. Subtract easterly variation and add left wind correction angle

Answer: (A)

When turning a true course into a magnetic heading, you apply two adjustments: variation and wind correction angle. Variation is the difference between true north and magnetic north. If the variation is westerly, you add it to the true course to get the magnetic heading. Then you compensate for wind drift with the wind correction angle, which tells you how much and in which direction you must steer to stay on course. If the wind correction angle is to the left, you subtract its magnitude from the heading (the heading you actually fly), which is equivalent to adding a right correction.

So the process is to add the west variation and subtract the left wind correction angle. For example, with a true course of 60°, variation 25°W, and a left wind correction angle of 8°, the magnetic heading would be 60° + 25° − 8° = 77°.