Steve,
It all depends where you are going to fly. Here in Florida, the
summers are hazy and having a horizon to reference is very important.
Weather changes quickly and you can be caught. As an instrument
instructor for the Army 30 years ago (whew that's a long time ago!) I
found out that even with a full 6 pack, you can still loose it when it
gets rough. Vertigo is NO fun as it usually kills. Remember Kennedy.
He had some instrument time but when you loose all references to the
horizon, you have only a couple of minutes to live. If I sound a bit
scarry, its because I love flying and when it gets funky, all the fun is
gone. Ever flown at night when you have NO reference to the horizon. I
flew along the coast and when you head toward the ocean at night its not
neat. If you are very current its a no brainer but we all are fair
weather pilots (most of us at least) and .......... Have you tried the
vertigo machine at the Sun-N-Fun FAA hanger? It should make a believer
of you. At least there, you won't die from a mistake.
Even with the 6 pack, you must spend some time dual flying around
to get a little bit comfortable. I use to give 25 hours basic instrument
time and 25 hours advanced time. This would get you to the point you
could fly a VOR approach or a NDB (ADF) style. GPS is very good for
spatial orientation and to be able to see where you are. But again the
currency you get goes away quickly if you don't spend time keeping a bit
of currency.
Sorry for dwelling on this but I want to live to be 75 and still
flying. BTW, my 6 pack is a 5 pack. I use my gps for heading as it is
more accurate. Electric Horizon and a electric turn coordinator with the
usual altimeter and vsi. I got a special VSI that is a IVSI. It is very
sensitive to vertical speed. I used it in the military in our
helicopters which is fun during instrument conditions. Its called an
Instant Vertical Velocity Indicator. Found it available from the Kansas
area. A few phone calls got me to a supplier that had it.
BTW, if you have a problem with keeping the oil temp up, I bought
a oil temp control unit from Lockwood Aviation here in Siebring Fl. It
cost 50 bucks and I installed it last week end. I flew it yesterday in
the 50F weather and it brought the temp up to 184F and kept it there all
the time. Sure beats over cooling it as I was doing.
Jim Nelson
N15JN
29 hours and climbing
<europa_builder@yahoo.com> writes:
> Steve
>
> I was thinking pretty much the same thing. I want to
> keep my panel as simple as possible. An airspeed
> indicator and an altimeter will just about do it. A
> magnetic compass is required, but that is not a 'panel
> instrument' per se.
>
> Perhaps after a few hundred hours of day VFR flying, I
> might upgrade the airplane to night VFR and then to
> IFR. Also, by that time there is bound to be better
> technology, such as LED lights and better gyros.
>
>
> --- Steve & Eileen Genotte <gopackgo@attbi.com> wrote:
> > I'm planning my panel (the Domestic Treasury Dept.
> > has released the
> > funding). Looking over the various posts regarding
> > panel builds and
> > aluminum cut-outs, I see a lot of references to the
> > standard "six pack" of
> > gyros, etc., which are required for IFR flight.
> > But!, the flight
> > instruments required for day VFR flight by FAR
> > 91.205 are an airspeed
> > indicator, an alitmeter, and a magnetic heading
> > indicator. Since I'm not
> > building an IFR aircraft, right there I've gone from
> > the Sacred Six to the
> > Thrifty Three.
> >
> > Now to really make things interesting...
> >
> > I've decided to get the microEncoder and
> > microMonitor from RMI. Reading the
> > specs on the microEncoder, I see it can display
> > airspeed, altitude, and
> > magnetic heading. Huzzah!
> >
> > So, as I read it, I don't need anything beyond the
> > microEncoder to satisfy
> > the reqs with regards to flight instruments, and the
> > microMonitor will cover
> > all of the engine system parameters the Feds deem
> > worthy of attention.
> >
> > Am I right? Can I have a main panel consisting of a
> > microEncoder ...and
> > nothing else (I might get a Garmin GPSMAP 295 to
> > help provide aesthetic
> > balance)?
> >
> > Mind you, I'm not asking if it's [stentorian tone]
> > a good idea
> > [/stentorian tone], just if it's legal.
> >
> > TIA,
> >
> > Steve "I'd rather empanel a jury than plan my panel"
> > G.
> >
> >
> > The Europa Forum is supported by Aviators Network UK
> > <info@avnet.co.uk>
> > In the event of problems contact
> > <forum-owner@europaclub.org.uk>
> > The Europa Club website is at
> <http://www.europaclub.org.uk>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> The Europa Forum is supported by Aviators Network UK
> <info@avnet.co.uk>
>
>
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