The longest hour....

[Mooneymite]

Yesterday I had the good fortune to have a pilot I like and respect fly with me as a safety pilot.

 

We took off, and at 200', he simulated a vacuum pump failure (I have no backup) with stickies over the gyros and disabling the PC while I went "under the hood".

 

What a work out!  Uh.....now where exactly is that trun coordinator?  Oh!  There it is.

 

We "diverted" to my takeoff alternate about 20 miles away and shot an LPV approach to minimums, a missed approach and then an ILS approach to minimums followed by another missed approach to "VMC" (removed the hood).

 

I had no idea an hour of Mooney time could last so long!

 

 

 

[rbridges]

No gyro approaches are hard IMO. Good that you're keeping up you skills.

[larryb]

Time for an aspen

[Marauder]

Time for an aspen

Or 2...

[Mooneymite]

I couldn't agree more!

 

However.....even though an Aspen might prevent inadvertent inverted flight, I hate to be up-$ide down in my airplane.  

 

By the time I installed an Aspen (or two) and all the ancilliary items, it would cost me at least twice what I could recover.  It is so frustrating to see what's available in the experimental world for so much less.

[Mooneymite]

So...."partial panel" with three Aspens installed is when you only have TWO left?  

 

Gee.  Where's the challenge in that?

 

How about just using one eye?

[jlunseth]

Yes, get an Aspen, then simulate an electrical failure.

[rbridges]

Yes, get an Aspen, then simulate an electrical failure.

They have battery back ups. No challenge in that, either.

[John Pleisse]

Time for an aspen

 

Ya know.... I thought that too...until I bought one...... I would gladly have a KFC 200 or King FD system instead. At critical times, viewing and absorbing numerical values instead of glancing and visualizing needle positions has the opposite affect (at least for me).....information overload. I'd gladly take steam gauges back, all being equal. In fact, considering a bump to a 252 or Bravo and could care less about glass.

[fantom]

Ya know.... I thought that too...until I bought one...... I would gladly have a KFC 200 or King FD system instead. At critical times, viewing and absorbing numerical values instead of glancing and visualizing needle positions has the opposite affect (at least for me).....information overload. I'd gladly take steam gauges back, all being equal. In fact, considering a bump to a 252 or Bravo and could care less about glass.

 

 What...you trying to make all the guys who put more $$$ into their panels so they won't get lost 4 or 5 times over, than some of them paid for their planes? Oh, the humanity

[chrisk]

You can do both.   Airspeed to the left, altitude and vsi to the right, and Aspen in the center.  For what it is worth, I like the AI on the Aspen,but  I wish the HSI was a little larger. 

[jetdriven]

 

 

 

 

Or 3 ...

 

 

There, FIFY. 

[jetdriven]

No gyro approaches are hard IMO. Good that you're keeping up you skills.

Adding an electric attitude indicator goes a long way toward preventing "no-gyro" emergency procedures.

[Marauder]

What...you trying to make all the guys who put more $$$ into their panels so they won't get lost 4 or 5 times over, than some of them paid for their planes? Oh, the humanity

He's one of us! He has a dual Aspen!

[Marauder]

Ya know.... I thought that too...until I bought one...... I would gladly have a KFC 200 or King FD system instead. At critical times, viewing and absorbing numerical values instead of glancing and visualizing needle positions has the opposite affect (at least for me).....information overload. I'd gladly take steam gauges back, all being equal. In fact, considering a bump to a 252 or Bravo and could care less about glass.

John -- what AP do you have? I added the FD to the STEC for that very reason. Turn off the AP servos, turn on the FD and hit the HDG/ALT and get the single cue on the Aspen. Works great to simplify things.

[Bob - S50]

Ya know.... I thought that too...until I bought one...... I would gladly have a KFC 200 or King FD system instead. At critical times, viewing and absorbing numerical values instead of glancing and visualizing needle positions has the opposite affect (at least for me).....information overload. I'd gladly take steam gauges back, all being equal. In fact, considering a bump to a 252 or Bravo and could care less about glass.

I agree with you.  Digital is great if you want to know precise information.  Not 125, not 130, but 127 KIAS for example.  However, I find analog better for detecting trends.  And I find trends more important from a safety standpoint.  A moving needle on a gauge will catch your eye faster than a digit changing from 127 to 126 to 125 to....  Plus, with a needle, it becomes obvious when it is pointing at 5 o'clock when it should be at 7 o'clock.  When the digits on the sliding scale show 90 instead of 135 it won't catch my eye.

 

A mix of both is probably the best of both worlds.

 

Bob

[Bob - S50]

Adding an electric attitude indicator goes a long way toward preventing "no-gyro" emergency procedures. Screen Shot 2013-11-20 at 11.35.00 AM.png

I'm with you.  Being the cheap pilot that I am, rather than spending $2500+ for an electric attitude indicator plus the cost and down time of having it installed; once I have the money I plan to buy the Dynon D1 Pocket EFIS.  Current price is $1195.  Since it is portable there is no installation cost and no 337.  It may not be legal as far as the FAA considers for IFR, but the plane will still have the TC which the Feds will be happy with.  In an emergency though, the D1 would make it much easier to get on the ground.  Plus it will provide a backup GS, track, and altimeter.  And its battery powered.  That being the case, worst case (lose vacuum and all electrics) I could use the D1 to fly and my tablet to get to VMC.

[Mooneymite]

 Since it is portable there is no installation cost and no 337.  It may not be legal as far as the FAA considers for IFR, but the plane will still have the TC which the Feds will be happy with.  In an emergency though, the D1 would make it much easier to get on the ground.  Plus it will provide a backup GS, track, and altimeter.  And its battery powered.  That being the case, worst case (lose vacuum and all electrics) I could use the D1 to fly and my tablet to get to VMC.

 

I have been thinking about this as well.  Originally I had thought of an electric AI, but I have a buddy who has had terrible reliability issues with his, and the repairs are very expensive.  He has since sold his.

 

Even though an approach can be flown partial panel, the work load is high for those of us who don't practice nearly enough.  The Dynon makes a lot of sense.

 

Added is the fact that it can be moved to another airplane as needed and you get a lot of bang for your buck as compared to other solutions.  The only problem for me, is there really isn't a great place to mount it on my panel.

 

I'd like to try one out before I buy......

 

.

[PMcClure]

I agree with you.  Digital is great if you want to know precise information.  Not 125, not 130, but 127 KIAS for example.  However, I find analog better for detecting trends.  And I find trends more important from a safety standpoint.  A moving needle on a gauge will catch your eye faster than a digit changing from 127 to 126 to 125 to....  Plus, with a needle, it becomes obvious when it is pointing at 5 o'clock when it should be at 7 o'clock.  When the digits on the sliding scale show 90 instead of 135 it won't catch my eye.

 

A mix of both is probably the best of both worlds.

 

Bob

I found this contrary to my experience flying with the G1000 system. While I prefer the steam gauges, I found the trends easier to spot on the glass system. The G-1000 has a "snake" that shows the trend on heading and I think air speed too. I also found the speeds and altimeter rolling tapes easier to spot changes. The things I didn't like about the glass were the reliability (was the #1 dispatch problem on my rental 172). I also found I like the information separated rather than integrated. 

 

Recently, I had a AI fail in flight. I found it was difficult to hold heading and altitude, even though I had a back up electric. I couldn't keep the broken AI out of my scan. You also loose your Autopilot when you lose your AI. Good reasons to practice both hand flown and partial panel approaches and to keep more fuel in the tanks to keep your options open. 

[Mooneymite]

 I found it was difficult to hold heading and altitude, even though I had a back up electric. I couldn't keep the broken AI out of my scan. You also loose your Autopilot when you lose your AI. 

 

I think AOPA had a safety blub on exactly this phenomenon.  It was strongly recommended that when you loose your AI, you cover it up with "something", even if it's a folded dollar bill out of your pocket.  Covering the inop instruments improves your chances of having a successful outcome.  I'll see if I can find the reference.

[rbridges]

I'm with you.  Being the cheap pilot that I am, rather than spending $2500+ for an electric attitude indicator plus the cost and down time of having it installed; once I have the money I plan to buy the Dynon D1 Pocket EFIS.  Current price is $1195.  Since it is portable there is no installation cost and no 337.  It may not be legal as far as the FAA considers for IFR, but the plane will still have the TC which the Feds will be happy with.  In an emergency though, the D1 would make it much easier to get on the ground.  Plus it will provide a backup GS, track, and altimeter.  And its battery powered.  That being the case, worst case (lose vacuum and all electrics) I could use the D1 to fly and my tablet to get to VMC.

 

I'm thinking of going with the Stratus 2.  It provides AHRS.  I don't know how well it works, but I'm thinking along your lines--It's better to have it than nothing in an emergency.

[PMcClure]

I think AOPA had a safety blub on exactly this phenomenon.  It was strongly recommended that when you loose your AI, you cover it up with "something", even if it's a folded dollar bill out of your pocket.  Covering the inop instruments improves your chances of having a successful outcome.  I'll see if I can find the reference.

Yes - agreed. I have the covers now. I tried holding my hand up but still had difficulty. I canceled IFR and flew under the deck on the way home. Passengers never noticed the ride or sweat beads on my forehead!

[Bob - S50]

I have been thinking about this as well.  Originally I had thought of an electric AI, but I have a buddy who has had terrible reliability issues with his, and the repairs are very expensive.  He has since sold his.

 

Even though an approach can be flown partial panel, the work load is high for those of us who don't practice nearly enough.  The Dynon makes a lot of sense.

 

Added is the fact that it can be moved to another airplane as needed and you get a lot of bang for your buck as compared to other solutions.  The only problem for me, is there really isn't a great place to mount it on my panel.

 

I'd like to try one out before I buy......

 

.

It comes with a suction cup mount.  I plan to attach it to the windshield in the lower left corner.

[Bob - S50]

Recently, I had a AI fail in flight. I found it was difficult to hold heading and altitude, even though I had a back up electric. I couldn't keep the broken AI out of my scan. You also loose your Autopilot when you lose your AI. Good reasons to practice both hand flown and partial panel approaches and to keep more fuel in the tanks to keep your options open. 

Good reason to bring an instrument cover.  Just put it over the one that is inop.  Of bring a sticky pad and put a piece of paper over it.

[rbridges]

It works very well ... and battery charge lasts a long time. It is, however, designed to work with Foreflight and receives software updates via Foreflight. Just something to consider if you don't currently use Foreflight.

I use Foreflight on an iPad Mini (Ram suction cup mount on windshield) and keep Horizon (Stratus app) open on my iPhone on a yoke mounted Ram mount. I lay the Stratus 2 (clipped in its mount on the center of the rear floor directly behind the gear handle bracket; it's out of the way and it has never had a problem receiving GPS or ADS-B.

Works for me! And I am CHEAP. I cringed to shell out the $900 ... But I am very glad now I did, worth every penny.

( I mainly did it for the ADS-B weather ... nice to have flying in the Southeast, and on trips to FL and Bahamas (no ADS-B coverage in Bahamas after Freeport or so ... )

 

I already use Foreflight.  That's a good idea about having the iphone separate.  Until I saw the youtube video, I didn't realize the AHRS is separate from foreflight and requires switching programs.