When converting from magnetic course to true course, what should a pilot do with the variation?

When converting from magnetic course to true course, the pilot needs to account for magnetic variation, which is the difference between magnetic north and true north. Variation is expressed in degrees and can be either easterly or westerly.

For easterly variation, the magnetic north is east of true north. When converting to true course, the pilot must add the easterly variation because this compensates for the eastward shift of the magnetic reference. This adjustment aligns the magnetic course, which is used for navigation based on the aircraft's compass, with the true course, which corresponds to the geographical coordinates that are used on aeronautical charts.

In cases where there is westerly variation, the opposite adjustment is required. However, the focus here is on easterly variation, making the addition necessary to achieve an accurate true course reading. This understanding is vital for pilots to ensure safe and precise navigation.