> It's never been clear to me why some august bodies in the New
> World prefer
> the term 'magnetic declination' to 'variation' with respect to a compass
> needle's difference from true North.
The point being, I believe, that declination is NOT the entire variation.
IOW, "variation" could be the total difference between the compass' needle
and true North (which I believe you called "deviation"), and "declination"
is the slowly varying, non-local portion of that which is typically marked
on maps. Calling the number marked on the map "variation" could possibly
lead an improperly trained person to believe it is the total difference
between indicated and truth.
> Could this be connected
> in any way
> with that state of mind that once prompted a leading New World aeroplane
> company to put a notice on their flight decks to draw attention
> to a brake
> modification which read "increased stopping capability incorporated" ?
Guess I don't follow you here ... perhaps I'm too accustomed to Amerenglish.
How else would you indicate that a specific modification to increase
stopping capability had been incorporated ?
Besides which, if it was built here, it is an "airplane", not an
"aeroplane".
<G>
Randall
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