Backup Attitude Gyro

[Jerry39]

What is the most practical backup attitude gyro system that is truly redundant for general aviation single engine aircraft during IMC flight?

[a[_3_]]

On Apr 10, 10:51*pm, Jerry39 >
wrote:
> What is the most practical backup attitude gyro system that is truly
> redundant for general aviation single engine aircraft during IMC
> flight?
>
> --
> Jerry39

Jerry, the most reliable thing you can do is to stay proficient with
your partial panel skills. Vastly underutilized is the magnetic
compass, too. Go fly an approach or two under the hood partial panel
and you'll soon appreciate how little you really need to control the
airplane.

[VOR-DME[_3_]]

I don't agree that that's the best answer. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy
partial panel practice, and have always maintained good proficiency with
it. Compass turns are, well fun, but I'd be hard pressed to say much of
anything else good about them. Timed turns work out much better, if
you're in any kind of shape, but the OP is correct that a redundant AI
really is the best solution, and I would even say highly recommended for
any plane with a vacuum driven AI that is to be used in actual
IFR/IMC.Those planes are getting older now, and many vacuum pumps have
not been replaced in years.

One of the most important choices is not what you buy (there are now a
number of good devices on the after-market) but WHERE you put it.Over on
the far edge of the co-pilot's seat is not the right place. In place of
the turn coordinator is good if you have limited panel space, otherwise
just as close as possible to the original AI. One of the best things
about a backup AI is not just that you have something to use when the
vacuum-driven device fails, but that it actually points up this failure
before it happens. If you can see both at the same time, you can see
when they start to disagree - and many AI or vacuum failures are slow,
progressive events. If you start to see your two AI's out of lock-step,
start making sure you've got both in your scan. Gives you a lot more
time and comfort to run those textbook quizzes "which instrument is
lying?"!



In article
>,
says...

>Jerry, the most reliable thing you can do is to stay proficient with
>your partial panel skills. Vastly underutilized is the magnetic
>compass, too. Go fly an approach or two under the hood partial panel
>and you'll soon appreciate how little you really need to control the
>airplane.

[Peter Taggart]

On Apr 10, 10:51*pm, Jerry39 >
wrote:
> What is the most practical backup attitude gyro system that is truly
> redundant for general aviation single engine aircraft during IMC
> flight?
>
> --
> Jerry39

Jerry:

The best that I have found is the Precise Flight stand by vac system:
It works off the Intake manifold.... Make sure ALL of the hoses in
the Gyro system have been replaced..... just have it done so you
know for sure they have been replaced MAKE SURE the A& P is REAL
careful with the hoses and to BLOW THEM OUT with hi pressure air
BEFORE he installs....... them no rubber chips can remain in the
hose(s) or WATCH OUT!

Make sure ALL filters have been replaced. Send out your gyro's for
overhaul the attitude indicator, directional gyro AND the turn and
bank!! The turn and band indicator has a 'dash' pot that has
thick oil in a piston the oil dries up in a few years making the
turn and bank so floppy it can't be used!

I send out my Gyros every two years for overhaul... if you are
flying REAL IFR it's worth it! By the way....please check out my
You Tube Video on the Four course Radio Range it was the back bone
navigation system in the world from 1928 to 1970's just go to you
tube..... in the search bar : Four Course Radio Range it will come
up navigation in the 1940's please give it a look and make a comment
on the You tube comment section

Regards!!!

Watch the time in service on the Vac pump right around 500 hours time
in service WATCH OUT!

[a[_3_]]

> Watch the time in service on the Vac pump *right around 500 hours time
> in service WATCH OUT!

I've never considered replacing the vacuum pump as preventive
maintenance, but looking back at my Mooney experience, that's not a
bad idea. I don't think I've had one last as long as 1000 hours and
two failed in the clouds. It goes to show the instrument failure gods
have a sense of humor: I doubt as much as 20% of the time I fly with
no outside reference, but two of four failures were in those
conditions. Murphy was right: if it's going to go wrong it'll happen
at the worst possible time.

Thanks for a good idea: obvious once stated!

[Mxyzptlk]

--
Viva la mort! Viva la guerre! Viva la sacre, Mercenaire!
Live To Spend It ! http://preview.xrl.in/4z9q

[Mxyzptlk]

On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:25:01 -0700 (PDT), a wrote:


--
Viva la mort! Viva la guerre! Viva la sacre, Mercenaire!
Live To Spend It ! http://preview.xrl.in/4z9q

[Brian Whatcott]

Jerry39 wrote:
> What is the most practical backup attitude gyro system that is truly
> redundant for general aviation single engine aircraft during IMC
> flight?
>
>
>
>
Not really responsive to your question, but a GPS driven ADI makes a
surprising amount of sense with software applied to a PDA with a gps
dongle - and it can do a moving map display too for improved situational
awareness in VMC...

Brian W

[Andrew Gideon]

On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 08:44:49 -0700, Peter Taggart wrote:

> It
> works off the Intake manifold

If I'm recalling this correctly, doesn't this type of device require
reducing MP to maintain vacuum pressure. And that means that a missed
approach begins by reducing the pressure spinning the AI and DG.

Or am I recalling this incorrectly?

- Andrew

[Andrew Gideon]

On Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:37:45 +0200, VOR-DME wrote:

> In place of
> the turn coordinator is good if you have limited panel space

I know that there's an AC out there saying that it is permitted to
replace a TC with a backup AI. But can't AI's still tumble, while TCs
are immune?

- Andrew