Definition
The direction along the Earth's surface toward the geographic North Pole — the fixed point where the Earth's axis of rotation meets the surface in the northern hemisphere. True north is the reference used for charts, navigation calculations, and inertial navigation systems, and it is independent of the Earth's magnetic field.
Plain English
The direction pointing to the actual top of the globe — the spot the Earth spins around — not the direction a magnetic compass points.
Context Anchor
Seen in navigation, charts, instrument systems, and inertial navigation system discussions when a direction must be tied to the earth itself rather than to a compass.
Derivation
True' here means 'real' or 'genuine' — as opposed to magnetic north, which shifts with the Earth's magnetic field. True north is the geographically fixed pole; magnetic north is not.
Why Pilots Care
Provides the reference needed for precise inertial navigation and route calculations that remain valid regardless of local magnetic variation.
Intuition Check
True does not mean “better” or “more correct” in a general sense here. It means north measured from the earth’s geographic North Pole, not from a magnetic compass.
Example Sentence 1
The INS aligns to true north during initialization and reports headings relative to it.
Example Sentence 2
After plotting a true course of 045 degrees on the chart, the crew applied local variation to obtain the magnetic heading.