(Michael) wrote

Yeah, I've heard that song before. Even believed it. Then I had my
AI tumble. At night. In IMC. On the climbout. While being
rerouted.
[...]
Gyro failure is not a big deal if you train properly.

Well, for those of us less studly than this, I'd still take an engine
failure over gyro failure in IMC under most conditions. Maybe given
the time/money to train "properly" gyro failure isn't such a major
emergency. But I don't have either the time or the money, so this
instrument-rated pilot isn't flying IFR till he gets a plane with
backup gyros or electric AI.

On the other hand, an engine failure in a single engine airplane under
the same conditions would have been very, very ugly.

Good point. Climbout is a really horrible time for an engine failure.
In cruise I'm still much more afraid of gyro failure though. As I
said in another post on this subject, some of the reason for this is
that it often happens (and did to me) with little or now warning.

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q