What's the customary technique for adjusting the magnetic compass

[dov_elyada]

Thanks, Wes, for your advice. It certainly helped delineate my options.

Let me summarize the options you propose: 1) Fly to an airport that has a compass rose and do it there. 2) Create a makeshift compass rose at my home airstrip. 3) Use in-flight GPS courses as references to adjust by.

Of these, Solution 1 is impractical, because in my country "real" airports with compass roses do not let lowlife "ultralights" in. Solution 3 works only in cases where the crosswind is assuredly insignificant and the ball is not only perfectly centered throughout the pass but also sensitive enough to detect a sideslip of the order of 1 degree. I'm left with Solution 2 -- not easy or immediate, but can be done using landmarks and with the help of such wonders as Google Earth.

As to your suggestion of a Beer & Swing party, I would add that invitees should bring along sleeping bags and other camping equipment to let the beer wear off before they can legally depart.

Dov