Considering an Attitude Indicator

[Flyinglion2000]

Am considering installing a gyro attitude indicator in my S.

 

Does anyone know the degrees of tilt the instrument panel has (if any)?

 

Cheers

 

Ps about a month away now from completion :-)

 

 

[Kenny]

Hi

 

I don't think it matters what angle your dash is I believe you can set the giro to zero once you are straight and legal.

 

Cheers

 

Ken

 

 

[nomadpete]

Attitude indicator? Wow, what will they think of next?

 

What sizes do they come in?

 

I want one of those for my wife.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

I've never heard of one. What do you actually use an attitude indicator for? Apart from Pete's wife that is ...

 

I mean, what can it tell you that you can't know by looking out the window? Is it affected by accelerations? Wouldn't an AH be far more useful?

 

 

[facthunter]

You are probably talking about the same thing. The names of the instruments keep getting changed to make sure you don't really get your checklist right. Note Straight and LEGAL. That's making it hard.

 

Usually the panel is vertical with the older instruments anyhow. electronic ones shouldn't matter too much. The older instruments have pitch and roll limits where the gyro topples and they cost plenty to buy and maintain. Nice to have but not strictly necessary in VFR. The first thing I would install is a good turn and slip with a rate function. In conjunction with a stopwatch is very handy. Nev

 

 

[Ultralights]

i have just modified my Savannah and fitted it with a AHRS G mini. 3 axis digital gyro. and plumbed into the pitot static system.

 

The trick it to mount the AHRS unit, (about the size of a cigarette packet) as close to centre line as possible. so mine is under the right hand seat as close to the centre as i could get it.

 

it also has to be mounted as close to horizontal in both pitch and roll axis when the aircraft it as its flying attitude. this was pretty easy to do, mounted the unit temporarily, and flew straight and level, and noted the indicated pitch and roll indications on the screen, the screen being an Iphone mounted on the panel.in a RAM mount. , then on the ground, adjusted the screw length and washers under the unit to compensate for the pitch and roll in flight. so now the savannah cruises at 87kts indicated, and 1 deg nose up.

 

this is the unit

 

 

and runs on quite a few apps.

 

i use this one. (was free when i downloaded it a while ago.)

 

 

altitude and airspeed data are all pitot system actual air data.

 

even the slip ball is more accurate than the traditional glass tube and ball.

 

 

[cherk]

and runs on quite a few apps.

i use this one. (was free when i downloaded it a while ago.)

 

 

altitude and airspeed data are all pitot system actual air data.

 

even the slip ball is more accurate than the traditional glass tube and ball.

G'day UL/s,

 

which app is this as shown above

 

 

[Ultralights]

Ihud remote, i thinks its a payed app now, but on the AHRS site there is a list of compatible apps. airnav pro is another good one that works with it, the levil unit also comes with its own free app as well, below. and it has a Magnetic compass as well.. no GPS data. all air data and magnetic compass.

 

 

even works with windows devices.

 

im just waiting for Ozrunways or Avplan to support it as well, and give a synthetic vision capability to it.

 

the way it works is it sets up its own wifi network, and you connect to that with your ipad/iphone/windows device just like any other wifi, so more than one device can use the data from the unit. its battery powered, but can also be hard wired into the aircraft like mine is, so if i have an electrical failure, the unit will still work for a few hours. (ipad and iphone charge cables are also hard wired into the Savannah) so as long as the avionics are switched on, everything runs off aircraft power. no risk of batteries going flat.

 

when im finished flying, shut down as normal, take the ipad from the holder on the panel, and take it home.. panel is still the usual instruments that a savannah has, just the extra ipad holder is the only visible difference. and a small usb lead hanging from under the panel.

 

the cost of the AHRS unit is comparable to a vacuum system and gyro instruments. probably cheaper when you consider the cost of installing vacuum pump or venturi to the side. and the instruments themselves.

 

 

[facthunter]

Just curious U/L Why would you want a magnetic compass? (unless for a power failure or gnss info). Nev

 

 

[ruffasguts]

Just curious U/L Why would you want a magnetic compass? (unless for a power failure or gnss info). Nev

required instrument refer tec manual

mick w

 

 

[facthunter]

Not sure if it still is. It is considered a minimum, but I think I read somewhere that other would suffice if fitted. Most magnetic compasses are close to useless. the reason I brought it up is that one never uses magnetic by itself,( except for runway designation which is still based on degrees M, rounded to 10).

 

 

[ruffasguts]

Not sure if it still is. It is considered a minimum, but I think I read somewhere that other would suffice if fitted. Most magnetic compasses are close to useless. the reason I brought it up is that one never uses magnetic by itself,( except for runway designation which is still based on degrees M, rounded to 10).

section 3.3.1 - 2 tec manual so no matter what u read elsewhere at this stage the tec manual rule nothing wrong with a magnetic compass if they are checked as required been used for a long time , problem is modern pilots cant find the DIRECT TO button on a magnetic compass

Mick

 

 

[facthunter]

Most of the ones in U/L's are rubbish. They have poor damping and are essentially useless for doing turns. In any turbulence they move all over the place. I don't know a quality one on the market that isn't TSO'd. I would take a CASR above what is in the tech manual. Some things over ride others. WHEN was the manual updated? Nev

 

 

[Garfly]

MGL have recently released a firmware update for their SP-6 compass module. It works with their various EFIS products.

 

http://www.mglavionics.co.za/SP6.html

 

It features a new auto-calibrate function (achieved by flying a certain pattern) and promises a new level of compass accuracy.

 

It's ironic that the perfect compass finally comes along at this point in history.

 

On the other hand, when EFIS boxes combine accurate gps (GS and track) info with air info and temp. (TAS) with good heading info from a solid state compass they can work out accurate real time winds-aloft. Maybe that'll be its main usefulness.

 

 

[frank marriott]

:I would take a CASR above what is in the tech manual"

 

Nev

 

Because the current Tech manual states, amongst other things, you must have a magnetic compass, no matter what is written elsewhere to register an aircraft in RAA registration you must have a magnetic compass - at least that is the way I read it but freely admit I am no expert in these matters.

 

To try to do otherwise, I would suggest authority in writing from RAA might be wise if only to avoid delays in the process.

 

 

[facthunter]

I am not trying to suggest that we should go against installing a magnetic compass, but that was written before a lot of modern stuff was approved, in GA. There is no intent to make RAAus comply with rules that exceed those in GA. This is stated as a principle. Also if anything in VFG or such like is in conflict with any CASR ( and it happens unfortunately), guess which one you are required to go by? . In our current circumstances keep things simple of course re the paperwork but one day it all has to be done right. Nev

 

 

[Kyle Communications]

I have a vertical card magnetic compass AND a MGL Xtreme and I have updated the firmware in the SP6....The MGL compass is fantastic much better than my certified vertical magnetic compass although I still use both

 

 

[Eric McCandless]

Most of the ones in U/L's are rubbish. They have poor damping and are essentially useless for doing turns. In any turbulence they move all over the place.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I thought it was just me (it probably is me as well but nice to know the compass may be partly at fault), but I find the compass in my plane is almost impossible to use. In my J170, it is constantly moving all over the place (by as much as 20 degrees). The only time it is stable is in still air which I rarely see. In normal conditions I am just guessing at the actual heading. With a Jabiru LSA, can I change it to an approved model that works? Eric