Quasi-statically oriented, bi-directional tape recording head

A computer program product for orienting a head, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to:

• determine, by the controller, a desired pitch for transducers of a magnetic head for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape, the magnetic head having a first array of data transducers, a second array of data transducers spaced from the first array, and a third array of data transducers positioned between the first and second arrays, the magnetic head being positionable between a first position and a second position, wherein a longitudinal axis of the third array has a negative angle relative to a line oriented perpendicular to a first direction of tape travel thereacross when the magnetic head is in the first position, wherein the longitudinal axis of the third array has a positive angle relative to the line oriented perpendicular to the first direction of tape travel thereacross when the magnetic head is in the second position;
• cause, by the controller, a mechanism to orient the magnetic head towards the first position to achieve the desired pitch when the tape travels in the first direction, wherein outer data transducers of the third array are about aligned with outer data transducers of the second array when the magnetic head is positioned towards the first position;
• cause, by the controller, the mechanism to orient the magnetic head towards the second position to achieve the desired pitch when the tape travels in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the outer data transducers of the third array are about aligned with outer data transducers of the first array when the magnetic head is positioned towards the second position.