Small Altimeter Options for Gliders

On Nov 12, 4:55*am, joesimmers wrote:
I am going to build a new panel for my glider this winter and would
like to go with all small instruments.

The Altimeter is the only one that I am having trouble deciding on, I
thought I was going to need a "certified" altimeter but recently spoke
to a very reputable source and found out that a "certified" altimeter
is not required for VFR flying, so this opens my options.

I have it narrowed down to four choices listed below.

1) *New Winter altimeter $900 ( A lot more than I would like to spend)

2) Used Aerosonic for $500 to $700 ( looks like a very nice
instrument, a bit heavier than the Winter)

3) UMA single pointer 20k *$300 *(These look very difficult to read
accuratly as the 20k is one full rotation)

4) Microtim digital altimeter from *(http://www.microtim.com/index.htm
) *(This option looks very good to me, it takes up * very little panel
space, easy to read, self contained long lasting battery, easy on the
wallet compared to other options)

I found a post by Mike Borgelt where he stated he was using a Microtim
altimeter and he reccomended it.

Does anyone know of any good reason not to install a Microtim?

Thanks for any advice,
Joe Simmers

Joe,

MGL also has a very nice digital altimeter option which has a VSI and
a temperature.

I have it in another panel the I built bottom of the following page.

http://www.craggyaero.com/instl_pictures.htm

MGL details: ALT-1

http://www.craggyaero.com/smart_singles.htm


Richard
www.craggyaero.com

On Nov 12, 4:55*am, joesimmers wrote:
I am going to build a new panel for my glider this winter and would
like to go with all small instruments.

The Altimeter is the only one that I am having trouble deciding on, I
thought I was going to need a "certified" altimeter but recently spoke
to a very reputable source and found out that a "certified" altimeter
is not required for VFR flying, so this opens my options.

I have it narrowed down to four choices listed below.

1) *New Winter altimeter $900 ( A lot more than I would like to spend)

2) Used Aerosonic for $500 to $700 ( looks like a very nice
instrument, a bit heavier than the Winter)

3) UMA single pointer 20k *$300 *(These look very difficult to read
accuratly as the 20k is one full rotation)

4) Microtim digital altimeter from *(http://www.microtim.com/index.htm
) *(This option looks very good to me, it takes up * very little panel
space, easy to read, self contained long lasting battery, easy on the
wallet compared to other options)

I found a post by Mike Borgelt where he stated he was using a Microtim
altimeter and he reccomended it.

Does anyone know of any good reason not to install a Microtim?

Thanks for any advice,
Joe Simmers

There are two instruments in my panel that I chose to keep at 80mm -
the airspeed and the altimeter. The reason? Readability. I also put
the airspeed top center in the panel. I figured I really don't want
ever to be in a position of misreading my altitude, and particularly
my airspeed. My worry on the LCD altimeter is the battery or display
going south due to any of a host of reasons. Unless panel space is
really at a premium make sure that you select instruments you can
quickly and easily scan, even if it means bigger ones - at least in
these two categories.

9B

From my point of view with nearly 60 yo eyes, the Winter is fine-
expensive but readable.

Mark

I agree with John Carlyle. If only Winter would just make a new face
for their little altimeter. One with 20 foot graduations and numbers
that are a bit bigger in size, I think they would sell a bundle of
them. Take the standard United 3" altimeter and scale down the face.
The 57mm Aerosonic altimeter looks like a scaled down 80mm version and
is incredibly easy to read, but it's way too expensive for common use.

-Kevin

KevinFinke wrote:
I agree with John Carlyle. If only Winter would just make a new face
for their little altimeter. One with 20 foot graduations and numbers
that are a bit bigger in size, I think they would sell a bundle of

Pretty much all gliders I fly are equipped with Winter's 57mm altimeter,
and I never felt any difficulties in reading it. As the fifties are
nicley marked, it gives me immediately a good quick estimate, and in
those very rare moments when I want to know more precisely, I can always
take a closer look.

The only problem I've encountered is that I've seen a couple of them
with broken temperature compensation, but I don't have any statistical
numbers, so I don't know whether this altimeter is overly prone to that
failure.

Maybe my point can be better made with pictures. Compare the altimeter
at this link:
http://www.airwich.com/aerosonic-2inch-altimete2.html
with the bottom altimeter at this link:
http://www.winter-instruments.de/eng...henmesser.html

Sure, you can read the Winter, but the Aerosonic is much crisper and
clearer. And if you imagine replacing the red-tipped 10,000 foot hand
on the Winter shown with the all white 10,000 foot hand that my Winter
actually has, you can appreciate why I'd junk my Winter in a heartbeat
if the Aerosonic wasn't $3,700!

-John

John Smith wrote:
Pretty much all gliders I fly are equipped with Winter's 57mm altimeter,
and I never felt any difficulties in reading it. As the fifties are
nicley marked, it gives me immediately a good quick estimate, and in
those very rare moments when I want to know more precisely, I can always
take a closer look.

jcarlyle wrote:

I'd junk my Winter in a heartbeat if the Aerosonic wasn't $3,700!

I'd junk my 1-26 in a heartbeat if the Antares wasn't $200,000 ...

You've got a 1-26 with a 57mm Winter altimeter???? Besides being
sacrilege, what are you doing with all the excess panel space?

-John

John Smith wrote:
I'd junk my 1-26 in a heartbeat if the Antares wasn't $200,000 ...

On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:30:36 -0800, KevinFinke wrote:

I agree with John Carlyle. If only Winter would just make a new face for
their little altimeter. One with 20 foot graduations and numbers that
are a bit bigger in size, I think they would sell a bundle of them.

I understand why you'd want bigger numbers, but why do you need even 20
ft graduations? I have an 80 mm PZL altimeter with 100 ft graduations.
Thats fine enough markings for my needs: I can estimate to 20-25 feet if
I should ever need to do that.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

jcarlyle wrote:

You've got a 1-26 with a 57mm Winter altimeter????

Actually no, luckily. While most gliders I fly are indeed equipped with
the 57mm Winter altimeter, I luckily don't have to fly 1-26s. Unluckily
no Antares either, though. But I guess you knew that.