Useful load increase from instrument removal?

[shawnd]

Is there a way to bench test the strike finder on the ground? I imagine most folks don't run into lightning and thunderstorms and fly near it to see if its working. I have one installed as well and was thinking of pulling it along with ADF and Apollo GPS, but now I am second guessing.

[ArtVandelay]

Is there a way to bench test the strike finder on the ground? I imagine most folks don't run into lightning and thunderstorms and fly near it to see if its working. I have one installed as well and was thinking of pulling it along with ADF and Apollo GPS, but now I am second guessing.

It should work up to 200 miles. AFAIK, it should work sitting on the ground, but maybe not in a hangar.

[philiplane]

Mine wil detect lighting even in the hangar with doors closed. The orientation can be skewed due to all the metal, but it sees the lighting.

You can do a basic function test with a corded electric drill. The more worn out, the better. Run the drill within a few feet of the antenna. 

[Tim Jodice]

1 minute ago, philiplane said:

Mine wil detect lighting even in the hangar with doors closed. The orientation can be skewed due to all the metal, but it sees the lighting.

You can do a basic function test with a corded electric drill. The more worn out, the better. Run the drill within a few feet of the antenna. 

It doesn't need to be corded but it needs to have a brushed motor to make the sparks.

[carusoam]

We have two types of lightning information...

Strategic And Tactical...

As IFR pilots we graduate from flying VFR and running into IMC to flying in IMC and running into thunderstorms....

Strategic... used for planning as you get closer... (data is delayed too long, time given is  improper/not real... the data is old before it gets that assembly time stamp.)

• Adsb-in graphic weather data
• VM satellite graphic weather data

Tactical.... avoidance when the chips are down... (real time)

• StrikeFinder
• Spherics type 
• Onboard radar 

 

So if you fly IFR in IMC you are going to want to have one of each category...

PP thoughts only, not a weather guy...

Best regards,

-a-

[shawnd]

On 8/15/2020 at 2:59 PM, Tim Jodice said:

It doesn't need to be corded but it needs to have a brushed motor to make the sparks.

Nice - I will give this a shot to see if I can detect anything. If it needs to be replaced, I will be yanking this and putting in a newer computer that interfaces directly with the GTN-750. of course, later