Definition
Directions measured in degrees clockwise from true north, the geographic North Pole, rather than from magnetic north. True directions are the reference used on aeronautical charts for plotting courses and bearings before magnetic variation is applied.
Plain English
Directions measured from the actual top of the Earth (the geographic North Pole), not from where a compass points. Charts use these directions; pilots then adjust them for the compass when flying.
Context Anchor
Seen in navigation, chart reading, and variation discussions, especially when converting between map directions and compass directions.
Derivation
True' here means 'aligned with the real geographic pole,' as opposed to 'magnetic,' which aligns with the Earth's magnetic field. The geographic pole is the fixed point the Earth rotates around; the magnetic pole drifts and sits elsewhere.
Why Pilots Care
True directions on charts must be converted to magnetic headings for actual compass use during flight.
Grounding Statement
Picture a line on a chart pointing straight toward the geographic North Pole; true directions are measured from that line.
Intuition Check
True does not mean “better” or “more correct” in a general sense here. It means measured from geographic north instead of from the compass needle.
Example Sentence 1
When plotting the route on the chart, she measured a true direction of 090 degrees, then applied the local variation to get a magnetic course for the compass.
Example Sentence 2
After determining the true direction, variation was applied to find the magnetic heading to fly.