TruTrak ADI current draw

Several times on this newsgroup people have asked about the power
consumption of TruTrak's electronic artificial horizon (ADI), but
until now I haven't seen a definitive answer. (Apologies if I missed
it. I did do a search on the newsgroup before posting this.) I emailed
TruTrak and got the following answer:

The current draw of the ADI is around 180 milliamps. It is nearly the same for both sizes.
Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks!

(I had asked if there was any difference between the 2-1/4" and the
3-1/8" models.) Not bad!

Martin
WT

On May 27, 9:25 pm, Hellman wrote:
Several times on this newsgroup people have asked about the power
consumption of TruTrak's electronic artificial horizon (ADI), but
until now I haven't seen a definitive answer. (Apologies if I missed
it. I did do a search on the newsgroup before posting this.) I emailed
TruTrak and got the following answer:

The current draw of the ADI is around 180 milliamps. It is nearly the same for both sizes.
Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks!

(I had asked if there was any difference between the 2-1/4" and the
3-1/8" models.) Not bad!

Martin
WT

My more serious concern with the ADI is how exactly the unit performs
in a glider - especially given it is *not* a normal artificial
horizon. It displays what TruTrack calls "vertical velocity enhanced
pitch". So what happens to the pitch indication when you encounter
significant change in vertical speed say in wave or even in a thermal.
Anybody have any actual experience using one of these? The pitch
indication behavior? How does the unit handle continuous high turn
rate thermalling?

Darryl

I have been flying with the TruTrack for a year now and find it just
what I want. I use it when getting close to shear lines marked by Q's
that don't have a firm base and step-up 1000 feet from one side to the
other, like we get all the time here in the Mendacino Mountains. It is
instant-on and it can be turned on while in a bank...............comes
right up to show your correct bank angle. It looks like a gyro, but
shows no pitch information. I have had it on for 30 minutes and it
always showed the correct attitude. Plenty good enough to execute a
180 in order to get out of an unexpected IFR situation, just maintain
your cruise speed which will keep the pitch under control and crank it
around using the TruTrack....................Please no hate-mail about
the FAR's, I use it just in case I'm fiddling with the computer one
day and suddenly find everything has turned gray!
JJ

My more serious concern with the ADI is how exactly the unit performs
in a glider - especially given it is *not* a normal artificial
horizon. It displays what TruTrack calls "vertical velocity enhanced
pitch". So what happens to the pitch indication when you encounter
significant change in vertical speed say in wave or even in a thermal.
Anybody have any actual experience using one of these? The pitch
indication behavior? How does the unit handle continuous high turn
rate thermalling?

Darryl

On May 28, 6:52 am, JJ Sinclair wrote:
I have been flying with the TruTrack for a year now and find it just
what I want. I use it when getting close to shear lines marked by Q's
that don't have a firm base and step-up 1000 feet from one side to the
other, like we get all the time here in the Mendacino Mountains. It is
instant-on and it can be turned on while in a bank...............comes
right up to show your correct bank angle. It looks like a gyro, but
shows no pitch information. I have had it on for 30 minutes and it
always showed the correct attitude. Plenty good enough to execute a
180 in order to get out of an unexpected IFR situation, just maintain
your cruise speed which will keep the pitch under control and crank it
around using the TruTrack....................Please no hate-mail about
the FAR's, I use it just in case I'm fiddling with the computer one
day and suddenly find everything has turned gray!
JJ

My more serious concern with the ADI is how exactly the unit performs

in a glider - especially given it is *not* a normal artificial
horizon. It displays what TruTrack calls "vertical velocity enhanced
pitch". So what happens to the pitch indication when you encounter
significant change in vertical speed say in wave or even in a thermal.
Anybody have any actual experience using one of these? The pitch
indication behavior? How does the unit handle continuous high turn
rate thermalling?

Darryl

JJ

Just to be clear. TruTrak (I keep forgetting to forget the c) is the
company, they make multiple products. You are talking about a TruTrak
Pictorial Turn and Bank, which I also have in my glider and I am also
impressed with. Marty is talking about the TruTrak ADI - an artificial
horizon. It is the pitch information in the artificial horizon that I
am mostly questioning. It would be great if it works as well as their
pictorial turn and bank, but they've not answered questions about this
when I tried before and so far I've not heard of anybody who has
really shaken one of these out in a sailplane.

Darryl

Concurring with Darryl, it should also be noted that the TruTrak pictorial
turn and bank (roll info only), is usually ordered set at a 1" minute
standard turn rate for glider use (we turn a lot and steeply). For power
plane use, and the default setting, it's typically set at a 2-minute turn
rate as this is the standard rate turn for instrument flying.

So, is the ADI version (with pitch), also available in the 1-minute turn
rate for gliders?

I'm also using and am happy with the roll only TruTrak.

bumper

"Darryl Ramm" wrote in message
...
On May 28, 6:52 am, JJ Sinclair wrote:
I have been flying with the TruTrack for a year now and find it just
what I want. I use it when getting close to shear lines marked by Q's
that don't have a firm base and step-up 1000 feet from one side to the
other, like we get all the time here in the Mendacino Mountains. It is
instant-on and it can be turned on while in a bank...............comes
right up to show your correct bank angle. It looks like a gyro, but
shows no pitch information. I have had it on for 30 minutes and it
always showed the correct attitude. Plenty good enough to execute a
180 in order to get out of an unexpected IFR situation, just maintain
your cruise speed which will keep the pitch under control and crank it
around using the TruTrack....................Please no hate-mail about
the FAR's, I use it just in case I'm fiddling with the computer one
day and suddenly find everything has turned gray!
JJ

My more serious concern with the ADI is how exactly the unit performs

in a glider - especially given it is *not* a normal artificial
horizon. It displays what TruTrack calls "vertical velocity enhanced
pitch". So what happens to the pitch indication when you encounter
significant change in vertical speed say in wave or even in a thermal.
Anybody have any actual experience using one of these? The pitch
indication behavior? How does the unit handle continuous high turn
rate thermalling?

Darryl

JJ

Just to be clear. TruTrak (I keep forgetting to forget the c) is the
company, they make multiple products. You are talking about a TruTrak
Pictorial Turn and Bank, which I also have in my glider and I am also
impressed with. Marty is talking about the TruTrak ADI - an artificial
horizon. It is the pitch information in the artificial horizon that I
am mostly questioning. It would be great if it works as well as their
pictorial turn and bank, but they've not answered questions about this
when I tried before and so far I've not heard of anybody who has
really shaken one of these out in a sailplane.

Darryl

On May 28, 10:31 am, "bumper" wrote:
Concurring with Darryl, it should also be noted that the TruTrak pictorial
turn and bank (roll info only), is usually ordered set at a 1" minute
standard turn rate for glider use (we turn a lot and steeply). For power
plane use, and the default setting, it's typically set at a 2-minute turn
rate as this is the standard rate turn for instrument flying.

So, is the ADI version (with pitch), also available in the 1-minute turn
rate for gliders?

I'm also using and am happy with the roll only TruTrak.

bumper

"Darryl Ramm" wrote in message

...

On May 28, 6:52 am, JJ Sinclair wrote:
I have been flying with the TruTrack for a year now and find it just
what I want. I use it when getting close to shear lines marked by Q's
that don't have a firm base and step-up 1000 feet from one side to the
other, like we get all the time here in the Mendacino Mountains. It is
instant-on and it can be turned on while in a bank...............comes
right up to show your correct bank angle. It looks like a gyro, but
shows no pitch information. I have had it on for 30 minutes and it
always showed the correct attitude. Plenty good enough to execute a
180 in order to get out of an unexpected IFR situation, just maintain
your cruise speed which will keep the pitch under control and crank it
around using the TruTrack....................Please no hate-mail about
the FAR's, I use it just in case I'm fiddling with the computer one
day and suddenly find everything has turned gray!
JJ

My more serious concern with the ADI is how exactly the unit performs

in a glider - especially given it is *not* a normal artificial
horizon. It displays what TruTrack calls "vertical velocity enhanced
pitch". So what happens to the pitch indication when you encounter
significant change in vertical speed say in wave or even in a thermal.
Anybody have any actual experience using one of these? The pitch
indication behavior? How does the unit handle continuous high turn
rate thermalling?

Darryl

JJ

Just to be clear. TruTrak (I keep forgetting to forget the c) is the
company, they make multiple products. You are talking about a TruTrak
Pictorial Turn and Bank, which I also have in my glider and I am also
impressed with. Marty is talking about the TruTrak ADI - an artificial
horizon. It is the pitch information in the artificial horizon that I
am mostly questioning. It would be great if it works as well as their
pictorial turn and bank, but they've not answered questions about this
when I tried before and so far I've not heard of anybody who has
really shaken one of these out in a sailplane.

Darryl

Bumper

If it is an artificial horizon/ADI it should show bank angle not turn
rate. Their documentation says bank angle.

Darryl