Definition
The specific value of magnetic variation that has been officially assigned to a navigation facility, airport, runway, or fix and is published as the reference for that location's magnetic courses, bearings, and headings. It remains fixed in the official record until the FAA formally updates it, even though the actual local magnetic variation drifts slightly each year as Earth's magnetic field changes.
Plain English
The official magnetic variation value the FAA has on file for a place. All published headings and courses for that place are based on this stored value, not the live variation, until the FAA decides to update it.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure discussions when explaining why published courses, runway numbers, or navigation data may be based on an older official magnetic value.
Derivation
Of record' is a legal and administrative phrase meaning 'officially recorded' or 'on the books.' Used here, it signals that this is the documented, reference value — not whatever the magnetic field happens to be doing today.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures all published magnetic courses align with actual compass indications, preventing navigation errors during instrument flight.
Grounding Statement
Picture true north and magnetic north as two slightly different north arrows; the magnetic variation of record is the official number on file for the angle between them.
Intuition Check
Do not read “of record” as “the current exact value.” Here it means the official value kept on file and used for published procedure information.
Example Sentence 1
The runway numbers were unchanged at the last update because the magnetic variation of record had not drifted enough to require renumbering.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure the pilot confirmed the magnetic variation of record on the airport diagram to set the correct compass heading for the departure course.