Mechanical Vario or not?

Fish a écrit:
I am considering dropping a Winter Vario from my panel . I have a Glide
computer and primary electric vario on board as well, as an Ilec
electric. Just trying to lose some weight from the cockpit.
Any PRO's or CONS's I need to know about regarding reliability and
redundancy in flight......batteries in the cold etc??
Cheers

Fish


In most European countries (including France) a pneumatic vario is
mandatory - and I think its a good idea when I count the times the
saiplane battery went dead in long flights!

"jerome" wrote in message ...


Fish a écrit:
I am considering dropping a Winter Vario from my panel . I have a Glide
computer and primary electric vario on board as well, as an Ilec
electric. Just trying to lose some weight from the cockpit.
Any PRO's or CONS's I need to know about regarding reliability and
redundancy in flight......batteries in the cold etc??
Cheers

Fish


In most European countries (including France) a pneumatic vario is
mandatory - and I think its a good idea when I count the times the
saiplane battery went dead in long flights!


Mandating a mechanical vario is an outdated regulation - times have changed.
In the gliders I fly the broken vario is always the Winter.

The Borgelt B40/B400 makes a better standby vario since they have internal
backup batteries so are not dependent on the gliders main battery. The
lithium 9V in my B40 will power it for more than 50 hours - with audio and
averager. The Borgelt has better response than the Sage to boot.

Even in the very unlikely event that both my electronic varios failed, US
altimeters with 10 foot resolution can be used for thermalling although it
takes a lot of instrument tapping. Which reminds me, I've got to find one
of those pager DC vibrator motors to shake my altimeter.

Bill Daniels

Bill Daniels wrote:
"jerome" wrote in message ...


Fish a écrit:

I am considering dropping a Winter Vario from my panel . I have a Glide
computer and primary electric vario on board as well, as an Ilec
electric. Just trying to lose some weight from the cockpit.
Any PRO's or CONS's I need to know about regarding reliability and
redundancy in flight......batteries in the cold etc??
Cheers

Fish


In most European countries (including France) a pneumatic vario is
mandatory - and I think its a good idea when I count the times the
saiplane battery went dead in long flights!



Mandating a mechanical vario is an outdated regulation - times have changed.
In the gliders I fly the broken vario is always the Winter.

The Borgelt B40/B400 makes a better standby vario since they have internal
backup batteries so are not dependent on the gliders main battery. The
lithium 9V in my B40 will power it for more than 50 hours - with audio and
averager. The Borgelt has better response than the Sage to boot.

Even in the very unlikely event that both my electronic varios failed, US
altimeters with 10 foot resolution can be used for thermalling although it
takes a lot of instrument tapping. Which reminds me, I've got to find one
of those pager DC vibrator motors to shake my altimeter.

Bill Daniels



Just take any small motor from radio shack and epoxy a small nut or
similar object to the side of the shaft. Works perfect. Mount the
motor on the back of your altimeter. If you want, you can run the wires
to a pushbutton on your stick - any time you need an instant 50 ft,
press the button! Mind you I didn't say with direction the 50 ft would
be...

Bill Daniels schrieb:

In most European countries (including France) a pneumatic vario is
mandatory - and I think its a good idea when I count the times the
saiplane battery went dead in long flights!

Mandating a mechanical vario is an outdated regulation

Whether a regulation is outdated is completely irrelevant if you want to
fly legally.

That said, I doubt "most" European countries require a machanical vario.
Switzerland, for one, doesn't even require any vario at all (except for
cloud flying).

Stefan

On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 19:29:34 +0200, Stefan
wrote:

That said, I doubt "most" European countries require a machanical vario.
Switzerland, for one, doesn't even require any vario at all (except for
cloud flying).

Neither does Germany.


Andreas
Bye
Andreas

jerome wrote:

In most European countries (including France) a pneumatic vario is
mandatory - and I think its a good idea when I count the times the
saiplane battery went dead in long flights!

As far as I know, only the mechanical altitude meter and the mechanical
speed indicator are mandatory. The vario is not a safety-critical
instrument and therefore not required by law... AFAIK...