Why must the platform for accelerometers be aligned to true North?

The alignment of the platform for accelerometers to true North is crucial for Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) to provide accurate positional data. This alignment ensures that the measurements taken by the accelerometers, which detect changes in velocity and acceleration, are referenced correctly to a global coordinate system. When the system is aligned to true North, it can accurately calculate changes in position over time by integrating the accelerometric data.

If the platform is not aligned correctly, the calculations made by the INS can become skewed, leading to errors in determining the aircraft's position, velocity, and orientation. This miscalculation can result in significant navigational issues, as the INS relies heavily on precise input data to maintain an accurate and reliable navigation solution. Accurate positional data is vital for safe and effective navigation, especially in complex flight scenarios.