Kitfox Aircraft Stick and Rudder Stein Air Grove Aircraft TCW Technologies Dynon Avionics AeroLED MGL Avionics Leading Edge Airfoils Desser EarthX Batteries Garmin G3X Touch
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 16 of 16

Thread: magnetic compass

  1. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    KDKB (Dekalb, Illinois)
    Posts
    644

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    Trying to remember the last time I looked at my compass and cannot remember ...

    Phone, iPad, panel mount GPS, DG ... Never look at the compass, but I have one.

    Jeff

  2. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Steilacoom, WA
    Posts
    729

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    Quote Originally Posted by 109JB View Post
    91.205 is for "Standard Category" airplanes. A Kitfox is not a standard category airplane.

    EDIT: Here is what the Op Lims for my project airplane state:

    "UNLESS EQUIPPED FOR NIGHT AND/OR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 91.205, AND UNTIL COMPLETION OF LIMITATION NO. 2 THIS AIRCRAFT WILL BE OPERATED DAY VFR ONLY."

    The operating limitations for an amateur-built airplane determine what is required for flight in this case. Nothing is prescribed in the op lims regarding instrumentation for day VFR, only for night or IFR. For example, a replica Wright Flyer would not need a compass, airspeed indicator, altimeter, etc, and many instruments on such an airplane would just be extra weight and otherwise useless.
    A new part of the regulations for me. Thanks for that.
    Kitfox 5 (under construction)
    Commercial SE/ME, CFII

  3. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    KDKB (Dekalb, Illinois)
    Posts
    644

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    I have a SIRS as well, and it has a wide range of adjustment, but lacking facilities to Degauss my airframe I never was able
    to get it to where I was happy with the alignment. It is still in there, but it's good for rough cardinal headings only. Probably
    on the order of +/- 20 degrees depending on heading. I use runway heading, or GPS track 99.999% of the time.

    I think the SIRS is a very nice compass, more the point is that alignment in our airframe is a huge challenge. Probably if
    mag heading is really important something remote mounted in the wing would be a much better solution.

    I did try degaussing my airframe as much as possible with a big mag tape demagnetizer, but not sure that it really did
    anything. I recall I spent a lot of time trying to get it adjusted, but in the end accepted what I worked out as "close enough"

    I put mine in the MOST "voodoo infected" location, dead center in the middle of the glareshield, and this is probably why
    I suffered so much. (Dave did you ever consider having an exorcism done on you plane? It just occurred to me that this
    might have been a solution).

    Jeff


    Quote Originally Posted by Dave S View Post
    So, got some sage wisdom from John Mc Bean......who suggested I get a SIRS compass which has a far better adjustment mechanism than the previous century's VC compass; and, if it is good enough for Boeing, it could be good enough for a Kitfox.

    Next - with a good compass in hand, I experimented with placement. Turned out, the center of the cockpit over the glareshield is the place that is most infected with magnetic voodoo - at least on our plane. The best place which avoided most of the voodoo was on the left corner of the glareshield and on right corner of the glareshield. I mounted the compass on the top of the glareshield just to the left of the pilot's view out the front window. That position resulted in very minimal adjustments to get the compass right; and, my correction card has correction values of 2 degrees or less all the way around.

    Happy as can be with the SIRS compass.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Dave S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    St Paul, MN
    Posts
    1,833

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    Quote......
    I put mine in the MOST "voodoo infected" location, dead center in the middle of the glareshield, and this is probably why
    I suffered so much. (Dave did you ever consider having an exorcism done on you plane? It just occurred to me that this
    might have been a solution).
    Unquote.....

    Jeff,

    Originally, after chasing ghosts for so long trying to figure this out, I did consider exorcism as a possible solution! How'd you know that!
    Dave S
    Kitfox 7 Trigear (Flying since 2009)
    912ULS Warp Drive

    St Paul, MN

  5. #15
    patrick.hvac's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Ottawa
    Posts
    104

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    Paperweight or not, in Canada you must have a compass:
    "a magnetic compass or a magnetic direction indicator that operates independently of the aircraft electrical generating system"
    I always wondered if a battery backup G5 or something would satisfy but I have heard of no-one who has gotten away with it.
    🇨🇦CANADA
    Flying | SS7 | G3X | Edge 912

  6. #16
    Senior Member Maverick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Phoenix
    Posts
    295

    Default Re: magnetic compass

    Wish I had read this before buying a new compass. I couldn't get the used one I bought from the salvage company to align. Bought a new falcon from Aircraft Spruce. No better. Mounted center above panel on glare shield. I have a Garmin Area 660 that has a several hours battery so if i were to loose electrical I'd still be okay for a while, long enough to get down safely. What a waist.
    Fred
    EAA, AOPA
    KF5 (N49FK & N36KJ)
    Phoenix, AZ

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •