Sport Pilot Talk

.......

.......

SportPilot wrote:The OP's question and this thread is about a backup compass. The FAR's also require an altimeter. Do we need to say that also lest we mislead some new pilot who might be lurking?

Probably not.

And yet...

...I have had more than one pilot, including I think one on this forum, pride themselves in the fact that when given a heading by ATC they can precisely follow a GPS track instead.

And I have had more than one pilot pride themselves on how accurately they can fly a "true" GPS altitude when assigned an altitude by ATC.

Both are, of course, wrong. And illegal. And dangerous. But a brand new pilot might need reminding of why they are wrong/illegal/dangerous.

I know that you know this stuff, so believe me when I say its not for your benefit, nor to play "gotcha".

.......

SportPilot wrote:Fine, but don't quote me and then "correct" something I did not say. I did not say a SkyCatcher does not need a compass. However, if I owned a SkyCatcher, I would not bother with installing a wet compass.

I apologize.

I did not put enough emphasis on the "wet" part.

Bygones.

I keep seeing mention of 91.205 in reference to the compass, but does anybody know what the compass requirements are from the ASTM standards. I know the instrument requirements are a little different in the standards.

Fair question, Tom (to which I don't have an answer). But I think, as a general principle, the ASTM requirements can in no way negate an FAA requirement.

All I know is this:

When the Chinese hordes attack with high altitude EMP bursts, my Dynon display goes dark, and the GPS satellites are raining down in fiery wreckage, my trusty whiskey compass and I will be safely navigating our way to the remote mountain bunker we have prepared for just such an event. Plenty of food, water, and extra compass fluid stockpiled there.

Just me, and my whiskey compass...my preciousss...

MrMorden wrote:All I know is this:

When the Chinese hordes attack with high altitude EMP bursts, my Dynon display goes dark, and the GPS satellites are raining down in fiery wreckage, my trusty whiskey compass and I will be safely navigating our way to the remote mountain bunker we have prepared for just such an event. Plenty of food, water, and extra compass fluid stockpiled there.

Just me, and my whiskey compass...my preciousss...

LOL. Please post a link to where we can buy compass fluid. Wally world was sold out.

A Youtube "installation" video would be helpful as well.

Flocker wrote:

MrMorden wrote:
Just me, and my whiskey compass...my preciousss...

LOL. Please post a link to where we can buy compass fluid.

You know, I honestly had not picked up on the similarity before this!



Though I've met Andy and he does have a bit more hair.

drseti wrote:Fair question, Tom (to which I don't have an answer). But I think, as a general principle, the ASTM requirements can in no way negate an FAA requirement.

You are correct in they can not negate the FAA requirements, but in some case their requirements are more stringent. For example if flying at night a PFD must have a back up battery. To fly at night you must have some kind of attitude indicator. Many of the early airplanes that had Dynon D100's have back up analog airspeed and altimeter. Many also have a back up compass to go along with the electronic unit with the Dynon.

These requirements are for the plane not the pilot.

The Skycatcher has a magnetometer located in the tail cone, and is fully compliant with FAA regs for a VFR airplane even though it does not have the standard compass.

Like Sport Pilot I wouldn't go to the expense of adding a compass to a Sport plane if I didn't have to.

I've seen the non-certified SIRS wet compass sold to homebuilders for around $50, so cost is not really an impediment - though getting an LoA may be. As for compass fluid, isopropyl alcohol works fine, and is available in any drug store. (Caution: don't drink it!)

VL Roberts wrote:The Skycatcher has a magnetometer located in the tail cone, and is fully compliant with FAA regs for a VFR airplane even though it does not have the standard compass.

This is correct. Per page 7-52 of the POH:

AIR DATA, ATTITUDE AND HEADING REFERENCE SYSTEM (ADAHRS) AND MAGNETOMETER (GRS)
The ADAHRS provides airplane attitude and flight characteristics information to the G300 displays integrated avionics units. The ADAHRS unit, located behind the instrument panel, contains accelerometers, tilt sensors and rate sensors that replace spinning mass gyros used in other airplanes. The magnetometer, located in the tailcone, interfaces with the ADAHRS to provide heading information.

I personally would like a standby wet compass on the Skycatcher and if I purchase one for my own use I will probably get one installed. I have occasionally flown the 162 at night and VFR over-the-top, and would like the redundancy in those situations.

chavycha wrote:

VL Roberts wrote:The Skycatcher has a magnetometer located in the tail cone, and is fully compliant with FAA regs for a VFR airplane even though it does not have the standard compass.

This is correct. Per page 7-52 of the POH:

AIR DATA, ATTITUDE AND HEADING REFERENCE SYSTEM (ADAHRS) AND MAGNETOMETER (GRS)
The ADAHRS provides airplane attitude and flight characteristics information to the G300 displays integrated avionics units. The ADAHRS unit, located behind the instrument panel, contains accelerometers, tilt sensors and rate sensors that replace spinning mass gyros used in other airplanes. The magnetometer, located in the tailcone, interfaces with the ADAHRS to provide heading information.

I personally would like a standby wet compass on the Skycatcher and if I purchase one for my own use I will probably get one installed. I have occasionally flown the 162 at night and VFR over-the-top, and would like the redundancy in those situations.

I looked into acquiring a compass for my Skycatcher when I thought I would need one due to a change in the Private Pilot PTS. Installed, it will run you close to $1000.

I do remember cursing the bills my compass generated on my old 172. It used to be that if you had a leaky compass or whatever, the A&P would order and install a kit to fix it. But then the FAA declared that any work on a compass had to be performed by an Avionics shop and things got real expensive.