Bank/turn indicator instrument question

[Bruce W.1]

I'm considering ripping the curved tube out of an aircraft bank
indicator to use an inclinometer (or clinometer) on a bicycle.

There's a bicycle bubble level on the market but I don't think it's a
good design.

My question is, on aircraft bank indicators, why do they look like they
are about 6" deep? What is in this rear of the instrument? I'm sure
there's a light bulb in there but this does not explain it. Perhaps
there's more to it than a steel ball in a tube?

Thanks for your help.

[[email protected]]

Bruce W.1 wrote:
> I'm considering ripping the curved tube out of an aircraft bank
> indicator to use an inclinometer (or clinometer) on a bicycle.
>
> There's a bicycle bubble level on the market but I don't think it's a

> good design.
>
> My question is, on aircraft bank indicators, why do they look like
they
> are about 6" deep? What is in this rear of the instrument? I'm sure

> there's a light bulb in there but this does not explain it. Perhaps
> there's more to it than a steel ball in a tube?
>
> Thanks for your help.



************************************************** *************************

Bruce;
Go to your local Wal-Mart RV Dept. (IE; trailer / motorhome ) and
find several levels of the type you want. They are used on trailers to
level the trailer for camping. They will be better for your purpose
and much cheaper,probably.
The aircraft T & B has a gyrpscopic mechanism in the rear part-
expensive .

Bob Olds
Charleston,Arkansas


************************************************** *************************

[Morgans]

> wrote

> Bruce;
> Go to your local Wal-Mart RV Dept. (IE; trailer / motorhome ) and
> find several levels of the type you want. They are used on trailers to
> level the trailer for camping. They will be better for your purpose
> and much cheaper,probably.
> The aircraft T & B has a gyrpscopic mechanism in the rear part-
> expensive .
>
> Bob Olds
> Charleston,Arkansas
>
>
>
************************************************** *************************
Also, boat shops. Sailboats use the tub and ball thingies. <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired]

Morgans wrote:
> > wrote
>
>
>>Bruce;
>>Go to your local Wal-Mart RV Dept. (IE; trailer / motorhome ) and
>>find several levels of the type you want. They are used on trailers to
>>level the trailer for camping. They will be better for your purpose
>>and much cheaper,probably.
>> The aircraft T & B has a gyrpscopic mechanism in the rear part-
>>expensive .
>>
>>Bob Olds
>>Charleston,Arkansas
>>
>>
>>
>
> ************************************************** *************************
> Also, boat shops. Sailboats use the tub and ball thingies. <g>

Jim, ya gotta stop using such technical terminology.
High technology is beyond the grasp of many people :)


Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

[Morgans]

"Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired" > wrote

Jim wrote

> > Also, boat shops. Sailboats use the tub and ball thingies. <g>
>
> Jim, ya gotta stop using such technical terminology.
> High technology is beyond the grasp of many people :)
>
>
> Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Sorry, since I teach shop to 15 - 18 year olds, I find myself dumbing it
down, quite a bit. Do I need to go lower for your benefit? <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired]

Morgans wrote:
> "Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired" > wrote
>
> Jim wrote
>
>
>>>Also, boat shops. Sailboats use the tub and ball thingies. <g>
>>
>>Jim, ya gotta stop using such technical terminology.
>>High technology is beyond the grasp of many people :)
>>
>>
>>Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired
>
>
> Sorry, since I teach shop to 15 - 18 year olds, I find myself dumbing it
> down, quite a bit. Do I need to go lower for your benefit? <g>

Sure, Jim, but just for me :)

When the ROTC kids and accademy clones came around during their summer
games I used terminology like yours. It simplified things and those who
were really interested could ask questions or come back later.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 02:53:18 -0600, "Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired"
> wrote:

>Morgans wrote:
>>
>> Sorry, since I teach shop to 15 - 18 year olds, I find myself dumbing it
>> down, quite a bit. Do I need to go lower for your benefit? <g>
>
>Sure, Jim, but just for me :)
>
>When the ROTC kids and accademy clones came around during their summer
>games I used terminology like yours. It simplified things and those who
>were really interested could ask questions or come back later.

And those who *didn't* understand the simplified terminology are
generals, now. :-)

We once had a general come visit our control room for the early-warning
satellite I used to fly. This was late '70s, when computer technology was still
in its early stages.

The general sat at the display while the 1st Lt operator flipped through the
satellite health and status pages. But a flickering item had attracted his
attention. He pointed a flag-grade index figure at the screen and asked "What's
that?"

The lieutenant swallowed. "That's the cursor, sir."

Ron Wanttaja

[Jim Carriere]

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 02:53:18 -0600, "Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>Morgans wrote:
>>
>>>Sorry, since I teach shop to 15 - 18 year olds, I find myself dumbing it
>>>down, quite a bit. Do I need to go lower for your benefit? <g>
>>
>>Sure, Jim, but just for me :)
>>
>>When the ROTC kids and accademy clones came around during their summer
>>games I used terminology like yours. It simplified things and those who
>>were really interested could ask questions or come back later.
>
>
> And those who *didn't* understand the simplified terminology are
> generals, now. :-)
>
> We once had a general come visit our control room for the early-warning
> satellite I used to fly. This was late '70s, when computer technology was still
> in its early stages.
>
> The general sat at the display while the 1st Lt operator flipped through the
> satellite health and status pages. But a flickering item had attracted his
> attention. He pointed a flag-grade index figure at the screen and asked "What's
> that?"
>
> The lieutenant swallowed. "That's the cursor, sir."

Was that you, or one of your friends? :)

I know a guy stationed in Colorado Springs right now, working for
J-something-or-other. I asked him to find out for me if WOPR was
real (How about a nice game of chess?).

[Bob Chilcoat]

I'm reminded of the old joke about the first demonstration of a new Army
supercomputer. A multistar general decides that its first question should
be something really important, like, "When will the world end?" The question
is dutifully typed in, the machine chews on it for a few seconds, and then
suddenly types out an answer: "Yes".

"YES? YES!?" shouts the general. "What kind of answer is that?" There is an
embarrassed pause while the technicians briefly huddle but the computer is
faster than they are. It quickly types out "Yes, SIR!"

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Jim Carriere" > wrote in message
...
> Ron Wanttaja wrote:
>
> I know a guy stationed in Colorado Springs right now, working for
> J-something-or-other. I asked him to find out for me if WOPR was
> real (How about a nice game of chess?).

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:27:32 -0600, Jim Carriere >
wrote:

>Ron Wanttaja wrote:

>> The general sat at the display while the 1st Lt operator flipped through the
>> satellite health and status pages. But a flickering item had attracted his
>> attention. He pointed a flag-grade index figure at the screen and asked "What's
>> that?"
>>
>> The lieutenant swallowed. "That's the cursor, sir."
>
>Was that you, or one of your friends? :)

They didn't dare trot me out in front of the generals. :-)

>I know a guy stationed in Colorado Springs right now, working for
>J-something-or-other. I asked him to find out for me if WOPR was
>real (How about a nice game of chess?).

I was impressed with one aspect of that movie: It was the only "NORAD" movie
I've seen where, in the background of some scenes, you could see electronic
racks opened and technicians fixing something....

Ron Wanttaja

[Montblack]

("Morgans" wrote)
> Sorry, since I teach shop to 15 - 18 year olds, I find myself dumbing it
> down, quite a bit. Do I need to go lower for your benefit? <g>


"Shop is the foundation of all learning."

King of the Hill - Little Horrors of Shop
Season 4 - Episode 64 ...First aired Halloween, 1999

(One of the better episodes, IMHO)


Montblack