The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has launched a survey to collect operator opinions on moving from magnetic north to true north as a reference system for aircraft heading and tracking data. The survey’s goal is to better understand how a transition to true north might impact the business aviation community worldwide. The anonymized results of this survey will help IBAC advocate on behalf of business aviation at the newly established ICAO True North Advisory Group. Advocates for a transition to true north claim that this change could simplify operations, reduce costs, and improve accuracy.
The 30-member ICAO advisory group is comprised of 17 states, along with 13 international organizations representing various pilot, ATC, and aviation equipment interests. It has a three-year mandate to complete the work, then provide a report to the ICAO Air Navigation Commission (ANC) in 2027. The ANC is then responsible for evaluating the report and deciding on any recommendations to the ICAO General Assembly, possibly in 2028. Meanwhile, Canada is developing a concept of operations on the subject.
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