Stopwatch mounting: where should I put it?

[tigers2007]

Where would you mount a timer here for IFR operations? I have a Davtron under the iPad...

Wristwatch a better idea?

 

 

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[RLCarter]

Doesn't ForeFlight have a timer? 

[Hank]

Wristwatch works, but isn't a legal option. Use the Davtron in your yoke, put the tablet in a kneeboard--your primary nav source is up there in your panel. Tablet is for situational awareness and approach plates. You'll need to stop using it as a navigational crutch (not saying that you do, but it's very common).

[carusoam]

Is this a legal question...?   What do I need to be legal?  Does my hidden clock keep me legal... yes.

-or-

A functional question...?  Are you guys really using your iPad nav app with so many timers available... yes.

-or-

Have you ever used a timer on a VOR based approach, when you have so many panel mounted IFR GPSi approaches to select from... yes.

-or-

For real fun... use the GTN 750, one of the most powerful GPS based navigators in GA.... and use its timer to time a VOR approach... No, I don’t have a GTN yet....

 

My wristwatch is always pointed the wrong way... making it difficult to fly and watch(?) at the same time... 

 

I recently changed my standard of watch wearing...  Fitbit, face on the bottom of my wrist... so cheap it can be replaced easily if scratched... yet it doesn’t scratch easily....

Unfortunately, even the Fitbit is a challenge to use as a timer....

So... I too am interested what timers you all would use if you are to use a timed approach...

PP thoughts only, not a current IR pilot...

Best regards,

-a-

[Rwsavory]

If your really want a stopwatch you could mount it to the other yoke. http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/7183?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8YaLzL-X4gIVB1YNCh01hwQ4EAQYAiABEgIP7fD_BwE

When we bought out C it had two stopwatches mounted on the yoke.

[MB65E]

Slide the engine monitor over and put the clock there? It would need a scab panel over what you have now, but it could work. 

-Matt

[7.Mooney.Driver.0]

Your GTN has a stopwatch.




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[carusoam]

Tiger’s perfect M20D 8-pack panel is about to get rearranged... 

It just needs some strong logic... to push things over the edge...

• A single G5 could be used like the two VOR displays... were 
• a Pair of garmin G5s could free up some space for that important clock....
• An Aspen could free up the same space for the clock...
• More free space allows moving the D2 down to panel level, and could put the Engine monitor closer in...

Not sure if I actually found space for the clock... it might be way over where the engine monitor used to be...  

PP thoughts only,

-a-

[Prior owner]

Put the davtron in the panel where your vacuum gauge is, and move the vacuum gauge to right above the ign switch

Edited May 14, 2019 by PilotCoyote

[gsxrpilot]

You have a clock/timer, the Davtron. So you're legal. Now use a timer on the iPad or your watch to time approaches and holds. 

[David_H]

The IPad built-in timer app also includes a stopwatch with a sweep hand.

Cycling between the timer app and the EFB is fairly easy with the IPad mounted on the yoke.

[kpaul]

5 hours ago, David_H said:

The IPad built-in timer app also includes a stopwatch with a sweep hand.

Cycling between the timer app and the EFB is fairly easy with the IPad mounted on the yoke.

For argument sake, if you are using the stopwatch for procedure turn, holding or missed approach timing, having it buried in another app is a bad idea.  You would have to swap back and forth between your approach plate and the timer.  Probably a bad idea to be heads down that much if flying single pilot IFR.  But let's be honest, I can't get most of my students to remember to time at the appropriate location and they are probably flying 15-20 approaches per week and every flight will include full procedures and holding.

While a timing block is not available on every approach and actually more and more are being removed as we move to GPS.  You still have to time for holding unless you ask for something nonstandard.  Also anyone that flies full procedure approaches using the barb or holding in leu of needs to be able to time for accurate spacing. 

[tigers2007]

Well I stopped at Walmart and picked up this $6 timer. I also moved the tablet mount to be on the right side of the yoke so I could still use the davtron. Unfortunately the turbulence was so bad that I had to immediately return to the field as it felt like the wings were going to rip off. Where the timer is clamped on it actually presses the power button and shuts the iPad off...

 

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[AlexLev]

I think I have enough clocks.

[tigers2007]

Oh wow that yoke bracket is a great idea! You have the CBS 60 Minutes clocks too! Andy Rooney would approve.

[smccray]

On 5/12/2019 at 9:47 PM, carusoam said:

Is this a legal question...?   What do I need to be legal?  Does my hidden clock keep me legal... yes.

-or-

A functional question...?  Are you guys really using your iPad nav app with so many timers available... yes.

-or-

Have you ever used a timer on a VOR based approach, when you have so many panel mounted IFR GPSi approaches to select from... yes.

-or-

For real fun... use the GTN 750, one of the most powerful GPS based navigators in GA.... and use its timer to time a VOR approach... No, I don’t have a GTN yet....

Or for practical considerations- if you need the timer move the iPad.  Unlikely that you'll ever shoot a timed approach other than the training environment.

If I needed a timer in the airplane I would have to use the GTN or going searching in the G500.  I have a clock on the yoke but it's covered by an iPad.

[DXB]

On 5/12/2019 at 10:05 PM, tigers2007 said:

 

Where would you mount a timer here for IFR operations? I have a Davtron under the iPad...

Wristwatch a better idea?

 

 

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That's a solid panel.  When was the last time you actually needed a timer for IFR operations?

[aviatoreb]

On 5/12/2019 at 10:47 PM, carusoam said:

 

My wristwatch is always pointed the wrong way... making it difficult to fly and watch(?) at the same time... 

 

I have a rotating wrist.  It’s pretty easy to use. It’s very intuitive.  I just think it and it rotates the way I want it to be.

[carusoam]

Hmmm....

It all depends... on how you look at it... 

Best regards,

-a-

[tigers2007]

I don't have my IFR ticket yet so I have to navigate like it is 1960 again for my training.

[zaitcev]

15 hours ago, DXB said:

That's a solid panel.  When was the last time you actually needed a timer for IFR operations?

It's a question of legality, I think.

(6) A clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with a sweep-second pointer or digital presentation.

My M20E has a yoke clock but it does not show seconds. So, timer it is - just works as a clock.

[Prior owner]

If the GPS signal is lost and your safest/soonest option is to execute a non-precision approach, then you’ll desire a stopwatch timer because you will no longer have distance information (I didn’t see a DME in that panel) for an approach.

I have had a Garmin 430 screen fail while IMC enroute, necessitating a course change onto a victor airway, later followed by a chip light... vectors to a non- precision approach with a stop watch was the fastest, safest option. I had a second nav radio, but no DME. This was of course, before the prevalence of iPads in the cockpit.

Glad I had an actual stopwatch timer onboard. Wrist watch would have worked, but not as well.

 

[Bob E]

It looks like you have some space above the center avionics stack for both a clock with a "digital presentation" of a second hand, and a timer.  (Having the timer separate from the clock makes life much easier.)  To be legal they have to be "installed" in the aircraft (14 CFR 25.1303) or at least "contained" in the aircraft (14 CFR 91.205(d)(6)).  I think a good Vecro mount would pass muster either way.

It took a while, but I found two items that work well for me:  They are very small yet quite legible.  The timer is just perfect:  huge digits, press the green button to start the timer; press red and yellow buttons to reset.

Here's the timer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HGYZBW8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Here's the clock:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DRP936J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[tigers2007]

That is way easier to fumble with compared to my Davtron. Im praying that the hangar fairy will visit me again as the Davtron magically disappeared maybe due to some wires coming off of the circuit board; it was all a dream.


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[aviatoreb]

Even comes with a gimble mount and it’s y2k compliant.

https://www.amazon.com/Hourglass-Minutes-KSMA-Sandglass-Christmas/dp/B079D41PXB/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=hour+glass&qid=1558382994&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Edited May 21, 2019 by aviatoreb