Photos from Winter

Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on them.

You can see the photos he
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/winter.htm

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com

I've actually been there in their shop and gone out for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly, the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field. Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

"Paul Remde" wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on them.

On Dec 8, 11:01 am, "Paul Remde" wrote:

...and the stand on which they adjust altimeters.

All the airspeed indicators on the test stand have no markings, and it
looks like the technician is using a grease pencil to add a marking.
So I'd wager a guess that each airspeed indicator has a custom face to
correspond to the variances in the mechanisms.

-Tom

New airspeed markings are added on each as required by hand with transfer
tapes at Winter per the aircraft manufactures specifications or custom to
the buyers request.
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

"5Z" wrote in message
ups.com...


On Dec 8, 11:01 am, "Paul Remde" wrote:

...and the stand on which they adjust altimeters.

All the airspeed indicators on the test stand have no markings, and it
looks like the technician is using a grease pencil to add a marking.
So I'd wager a guess that each airspeed indicator has a custom face to
correspond to the variances in the mechanisms.

-Tom

I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.

All (certified at least)altimeters will come with calibration data along
with their approval data including those from Winter. There was some problem
with earlier versions of the small FGH40 altimeters which has been corrected
and Winter has been quite good about repairing those with this specific
problem as a warranty repair of course within reasonable time
limits....Current versions should have no difficulties. Also it might be
noted that few other manufacturers have even attempted offering these 3
needle 20K type altimeters at all in the small 57mm size simply due to the
difficulties of building such an instrument in this scale. You may find some
cheap knock off Chinese type altimeters in 57mm but none that I know of in
the 20K 3 needle design and you may also find some from other manufactures
but certainly noting in the less than thousands of $'s outside those
manufactured by Winter. Winter does also make several variations of the
small altimeters in 1, 2 and 3 needle designs with a variety of scales
including Metric and Feet scale types in varying prices ranges as well.
Tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com



"Andrew Wood" wrote in message
...
I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.

I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.

I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.

I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.

I have always thought that Winter instruments are excellent,
and their repair/calibration support has been very
good in my limited experience (I've only needed Winter
support once, and got good service). But there is one
caution that I am aware of: the compact Winter altimeters
have possible errors that US pilots should be aware
of. It's not a secret: the possible errors are listed
in the Winter altimeter data sheet. This is important
to know, for pilots flying under a class B ceiling
(as I do), and especially for pilots who fly up to
the 18000ft ceiling, since the Winter data sheet errors
are surprisingly large at higher altitudes. Take a
look and see. As an experiment, I tested my three altimeters
(my Winter 4FGH40, my Cambridge 302, and my SN10b)
at my local airport, using my airport barometric setting,
to see if the three altimeters agreed with the published
airport elevation (1000ft msl). The errors were respectively
140ft, 2ft and 80ft. The Winter error is at the very
limit of the Winter data sheet error for 1000ft msl,
which is surprising since it had just been recalibrated
by the factory (because it had previously had an even
larger error). The other instruments were about 2 years
from calibration. In comparison, most US aircraft altimeters
that I've seen in (IFR qualified) power planes have
been very accurate under this test, not more than 50ft
error at the very most. The US IFR altimeter accuracy
requirement for this test is 75ft. So under the US
altimeter test, the Winter altimeter would fail, the
Cambridge would be perfect, and the SN10b just acceptable.
I've been asking around as to which of my three altimeters
is the 'legal' altimeter to use, but (of course) have
got no clear answer.


At 19:01 08 December 2006, Tim Mara wrote:
I've actually been there in their shop and gone out
for dinner with Achim
Winter..It's very much like a small watch shop with
everyone working
meticulously with tiny tools and magnifying glasses
each hand building 3 or
4 instruments from start to finish at a time. Interestingly,
the owner, his
father and his father before him were none of them
pilots and got into this
business building aircraft instruments totally from
other business but their
instruments have been the standard for the sailplane
industry for decades
and remain the best and most recognized in their field.
Winter also has a
full catalog on line at http://www.winter-bordgeraete.de/
tim
Wings & Wheels
www.wingsandwheels.com

'Paul Remde' wrote in message
news:qMheh.263996$FQ1.171910@attbi_s71...
Hi,

I just updated my Winter instruments web site with
a few photos from the
factory. Last year at this time they sent me a few
photos of the town the
company is located in. This year they sent me a few
photos showing the
instrument assembly area and the stand on which they
adjust altimeters. I
enjoy photos like these because they show a bit more
about the company and
the people that make the instruments. Most glider
pilots fly with Winter
instruments and we have come to trust and rely on
them.