Kneeboards.

[Roscoe]

Can you provide more info on the GPS antenna you say you use with your iPad?

 

Thanks

There are a few GPS receivers (not antennas) that Bluetooth to your ipad.

I use one called a DUALXGPS150 and there is another one called GARMIN GLO,

Both work very well and are not expensive.

Have a look at website SPORTYS PILOT SHOP.COM and they have detailed descriptions and reviews of these products

[skippydiesel]

Can you provide more info on the GPS antenna you say you use with your iPad?

 

Thanks

 

See the little rectangular thingy on top of the panel - that's my GPS "receiver"/ antenna - supposed to improve GPS speed/accuracy for my iPad OzRunways. I think its a Garmin GLO 2 which at the time of purchase had good reviews. Can't say I have noticed any benefit but then its always on so I have nothing to compare.

 

The other inverted disk is the GPS antenna/receiver for my Ave Map Ultra EFIS.

[Godfather]

 

 

https://shop.casa.gov.au/products/flight-planning-kit

 

 

I bought this kit sans kneeboard!! I didn't realise it was an option! Either way, simple A5 clipboard serves the purpose reasonably well (although I'd like the strap just for stability sometimes). Currently in using A5 paper only… will be figuring something out soon.

[APenNameAndThatA]

My A5 knee pad has a couple of transparent plastic sleeves that can contain checklists. I *love* the transparent plastic sleeves. And the pockets hold a wizz wheel and protractor/ruler and pens and pencils.

[Guest Machtuk]

I have two RAM mounts - one for dedicated Garmin hand held GPS fixed (not suction cup) to left side of cockpit -second fixed (not suction cup) for iPad mini , centre of panel, tilted towards me. After about three heat rlated iPad shut downs I made a dedicated eyeball vent, behind RAM, just for iPad cooling.[ATTACH type="full" alt="IMG_0823[1].jpg"]50835[/ATTACH][ATTACH alt="IMG_0823[1].jpg"]50835[/ATTACH]

Ah someone wth an AvMap EFIS, tell me more please? Good, fair shouldn't have wasted my money or best thing??

[M61A1]

Ah someone wth an AvMap EFIS, tell me more please? Good, fair shouldn't have wasted my money or best thing??

I have the Avmap Ultra EFIS in a CH601HD. I like it, but I am only a rec pilot.

Simple to set up....only has pitot, static, power and a remote GPS antenna.

I am still playing with the VOR, ADF and stuff, as I found it a bit inaccurate initially, but have recently carried out another compass swing type calibration and the results seem a lot more promising.

Same goes for the HSI page with wind speed and direction.

It is a bit on the small side, but then it does bolt straight into a 3 1/8" hole. I pulled out an Allen AH and stuck the EFIS in.

They are just bright enough in the QLD sun at midday.

The do feel a bit cheaply built, time will tell, It's been in there a few months now. Don't spill fuel on it!

The screen hates it.

For the money I think they are good value, especially when you see how much the others cost, but maybe cost isn't an issue for you.

 

It's got no maps, just a database of airports you can enter for the VOR/ADF, but you can add your own POIs.

[Guest Machtuk]

Thanks for that info. I'm looking at putting a couple of G5's in my larger more flash plane but my little baby only needs something basic like the AvMap Ultra. I've heard they are 'cheap' in many ways but as long as they are functional ?

[skippydiesel]

Ah someone wth an AvMap EFIS, tell me more please? Good, fair shouldn't have wasted my money or best thing??

 

Hi MachtuK,

 

I like my AvMap EFIS - the screen is a little on the small side, making some of the information a tad hard to see (for us mature old farts). The cumpass is ra real pain to set up/swing (cant understand why all 4 points of the cumpass must be set). It has a lot of features that I dont use, being strictly day VFR. The AH, which is the view, I mostly use is a bit slow to react to changes in attitude. I like the fact that I have great instrument "redundancy" for X countries (OzRunways/ Garmin GPS/AvMap/wet cumpass and finally paper map). Back to the AvMap - it looks good on my panel giving it a more "competent" look, a fun thing. It probably doesnt really enhance my flying ability/performance in any way but was relativly cheap and easy to install.

[Jabiru7252]

cumpass?

[M61A1]

Hi MachtuK,

 

I like my AvMap EFIS - the screen is a little on the small side, making some of the information a tad hard to see (for us mature old farts). The cumpass is ra real pain to set up/swing (cant understand why all 4 points of the cumpass must be set). It has a lot of features that I dont use, being strictly day VFR. The AH, which is the view, I mostly use is a bit slow to react to changes in attitude. I like the fact that I have great instrument "redundancy" for X countries (OzRunways/ Garmin GPS/AvMap/wet cumpass and finally paper map). Back to the AvMap - it looks good on my panel giving it a more "competent" look, a fun thing. It probably doesnt really enhance my flying ability/performance in any way but was relativly cheap and easy to install.

When was the last time you did a proper compass swing?

The AvMap EFIS was a whole lot easier than swinging a fluid filled compass.

Do you really rely on your instruments to appear competent?

[Guest Machtuk]

Thanks for the info guys on the AvMap. Good to get diff opinions from units actually in use.

I'm going to stick with the Garmin G5. For about $800 more Garmin stuff does add value.

[skippydiesel]

cumpass?

Dyslexia

[skippydiesel]

When was the last time you did a proper compass swing?

The AvMap EFIS was a whole lot easier than swinging a fluid filled compass.

Do you really rely on your instruments to appear competent?

 

Really!! Wet compass just needs to be set to one cardinal point - then "swing" and check - repeat if necessary (unlikely).

 

AveMap instructions require panel/aircraft to be near level as possible. All electrical systems on (not engine). Well away from any potential external influences. Then "swing" aircraft to each of the 4 cardinal points, re levelling, setting system, for each one in turn. Almost certain to have to repeat several times. AND this may have to be done every 18-24 months to remain half accurate. Further; it is near impossible to make any adjustments in the air.

 

"Do you really rely on your instruments to appear competent"

 

Not sure of the question - my statement referred to the appearance/aesthetics of the panel. Nothing to do with pilot competence.

[M61A1]

Really!! Wet compass just needs to be set to one cardinal point - then "swing" and check - repeat if necessary (unlikely).

Bullsh1t!

https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/files/draft-ac-43-17-calibration-of-aircraft-compasses.pdf

And since your panel is inanimate it cannot appear competent, so the inference was was that it makes you appear more competent. (also it was tongue in cheek, that's why I added the )

[skippydiesel]

Bullsh1t!

https://www.casa.gov.au/sites/default/files/draft-ac-43-17-calibration-of-aircraft-compasses.pdf

And since your panel is inanimate it cannot appear competent, so the inference was was that it makes you appear more competent. (also it was tongue in cheek, that's why I added the )

Yeah! yeah! yeah! - some bureaucrat had great fun expanding on this (applicable to far more complex aircraft/challenging conditions). I fly RAA VFR, can actually navigate for hours at time,without any reference to anything other than ground features - compass optional. If your compass can not be set up on a single cardinal point and reliable be turned to the remaining three - replace/fix compass.

[M61A1]

If your compass can not be set up on a single cardinal point and reliable be turned to the remaining three - replace/fix compass.

You could replace the compass all you like, but they get adjusted at all points because the airframe/engine and avionics cause magnetic disturbances that upset the compass.

Many aircraft have a compass deviation card attached to the compass, because even when you adjust them they still aren't perfect. That's why they have an AC for doing the procedure, it was quite important before EFBs and GPS and still important if you're over featureless terrain and have a GPS fail.

I agree that it's difficult to get lost on the East Coast of Australia in good VFR conditions, but I'm sure it's happened.

[turboplanner]

Yeah! yeah! yeah! - some bureaucrat had great fun expanding on this (applicable to far more complex aircraft/challenging conditions). I fly RAA VFR, can actually navigate for hours at time,without any reference to anything other than ground features - compass optional. If your compass can not be set up on a single cardinal point and reliable be turned to the remaining three - replace/fix compass.

This reminds me of the people who go through their complete RPC course in three weeks in the one weather pattern (calm), the one aircraft, the one instructor. First time out with the new Certificate they get a crosswind.

 

I believe skippydiesel; there are plenty of places in Australia where you could navigate from memory all your life. Your training area for a start, places like Gippsland where the mountains are to the north and the sea is to the south, but on the other side of Melbourne, on a Navex test, I did four legs on location within 2 minutes of each planned time, and on the fifth found not only a railway line,and a lake, but a hill in between. They were about five degrees off where they should have been, so I altered heading to suit my fix. The instructor had selected this reporting point becaise it had two rail lines/hills/lakes. Within a couple of minutes I was flying over rolling hills and nothing matched the map. If you go by memory or you go by towns you know from driving to, expect that one day something will happen to upset the apple cart and you'll be flying around until you run out of fuel thinking your destination is just over the next hill.

 

Another classic mistake I made at Moorabbin, for years, was to jump in and fly out to the training area with a couple of hours fuel for a 1 hour flight, and no maps because I was doing what you said, remembering the landmarks. For those years the weather was pretty much the same coming back as it was going out, so I fell in to assuming it would always be the same.

 

Then an incident occurred which taught me a whole new attitude. An aircraft was flying in to Moorabbin when a storm blew up that Moorabbin Airport was closed. The pilot hadn't planned for any other fields so he continued on and after an argument with the tower was told to go away, which he did, finding another airfield, but the weather was too severe, and he couldn't land, so he turned back for Moorabbin, told the Tower Controller to get stuffed, and landed. There's a long ATSB report on it somewhere, but the point is I realised that there was nothing to stop me taking off at Moorabbin for the training area, but not being able to get back in due to a weather change. Which other airfields were available? How would I find them under low cloud etc. Since that time I've always taken charts up with me for flights in the training area.

 

I recent years a similar thing happened at Tyabb where someone took off on a clear morning, a fog rolled in while they were away, and they couldn't get back in and landed on a freeway.

 

In these situations you need to be able to navigate correctly and calculate fuel burn in the air and so on.

[Jabiru7252]

When I did my flying training I used the compass to set the directional gyro every 15 minutes. Now, with the Jab, trying to navigate with a compass that (in hot weather) swings around like a dobermans goolies is pretty challenging, unless it's really smooth air.

[skippydiesel]

When I flew GA, all of your comments were valid.

I now fly RAA - my simple wet compass does not appear to have the facility for each cardinal point adjustment and I find it perfectly adequate for the type of flying/navigating I do.

I have multiple GPS read outs. Two of which will continue to function for several hours, even without ship power,

I enjoy checking off ground features gainst my paper map. I am not phased by flying in western NSW (that's where I trained) - it is not as featureless as the coastal dwellers might think

I routinely check my GPS heading indications against my wet compass - so far so good.

So am I wrong ? No !

Are you wrong? No !

However it does seems to me you are applying a standard far above RAA - which is just fine but let's not get too carried away with personal preference.

True you/I might be caught in unforecasted poor visibility (or similar) but panic is probably your worst problem/enemy, not a compass that may/or not be a degree or two out.

As per Turbplanners advises plus -

ALWAYS plan, even for a quick joy ride in the training area.

ALWAYS carry charts (draw meaningful lines on them) and have them accessible.

ALWAYS have alternate airfield/landing ground details at hand.

ALWAYS calculate fuel in time aloft (not litres) and know when you departed.

ALWAYS have at least 60 minutes fuel left when you land.

TRY not to panic when the unexpected happens - maintain/ climb to safe altitude, slow the aircraft (deploy one stage of flap if helpful) and have a think. Do something routine to calm your nerves - drink some water, check engine gauges, fuel remaining, area frequency set, etc etc.

[Guest Machtuk]

A good tip is if really lost and you have only a WAC or similar map is to take up a North heading 360 degs (WX & terrain permitting) and slow down. Reading from the ground to map will be easier due track up & map orientation with the grid lines.

[turboplanner]

However it does seems to me you are applying a standard far above RAA - which is just fine but let's not get too carried away with personal preference.

Where this has turned to custard is that in the AUF days the aircraft were simple, designed for local flights and the instruments were basic - like no DH, and the nav training was basic like “go buy a book”. There are still some flying that taught themselves to fly. Now, with 100 it’s and several hours range, more and more people are doing GA type cross country flying, but don’t have DG, or suitable training. There’s a gap there.

[Old Koreelah]

Some of my basic training was done on the edge of the western plains; my instructor suggested I do my X-Country endorsement there as well, because it was so featureless that I'd learn to use the compass. I regret not taking his advice, because I did my Nav training on the coast and was spoiled by all the recognisable geography. Maybe a spot of navigating on a flat, boring ocean would be a good way to learn compass reading.

[turboplanner]

Sorry #46 should be DG (Directional Gyro), not "DH".

[turboplanner]

Some of my basic training was done on the edge of the western plains; my instructor suggested I do my X-Country endorsement there as well, because it was so featureless that I'd learn to use the compass. I regret not taking his advice, because I did my Nav training on the coast and was spoiled by all the recognisable geography. Maybe a spot of navigating on a flat, boring ocean would be a good way to learn compass reading.

 

Solo could have been a problem if you made a calculation stuff up, but I know what he was getting at.

 

I'd been flying for some years when low cloud ( a solid base) forced me down to 1000' at Casterton heading for Melbourne. I was on full reporting and had set Mortlake as the next reporting point (73 Nm distant). The Western District to the east is flat and featureless, Mortlake was somewhere over the horizon, but there are extinct volcanoes all over it, and my navigation feature was Mount Shadwell 958' just to the north of the town, so I had a mountain and a town, what could possibly go wrong. Soon the mountain appeared over the horizon and I was more comfortable. It was ten degrees south of my heading, but I'd been forced to land and sit on the ground for about four hours at Casterton, and had replanned the flight from the cockpit, so assumed I'd got the heading wrong, so changed course for Mt Shadwell, arriving with a comfortable few minutes to make my position report.........but someone had taken the town away. Nearby I saw a town with a pub, and figured the pub name would tell me which town I was over, but all it said was "Carlton Draught". I was now out of time for the report, and made a tight turn around the town looking for the town sign on the highway. Just as I saw the sign I got the "Confirm Operations Normal" call and fluently called in that I was orbiting Panmure and had an amendment to flight plan, returning to Melbourne via Princes Highway. Unsurprisingly the Centre operator stayed on my back for the rest of the afternoon. The mountain I'd been heading for was 708' and 14 Nm south of Mortlake. This was the second, but last time I abandoned a compass heading in favour of eyesight.

 

You could still get valuable experience over recognisable country by sticking to the compass heading and watching the drift off course develop and making your corrections all the while knowing where you were anyway.

[skippydiesel]

Hi Turboplanner - Fitting the wrong picture to the story (plan) Yes we have all done it and no doubt will do it again in the future but, for myself, the biggest hurdle is overcoming , in the first instance, goal fixation followed by, the panic when the goal turns out to be false. In my view, to err is human, pilots are human. Pilots no matter how good/well prepared, will make mistakes. What divides the good from the not so, is the ability to remain calm, recognise the situation for what it is and make good, possibly life saving remedial decisions hence my earlier suggestions