On Sep 21, 9:39 am, wrote:
there are no instrument requirements for gliders in the FAR's.

The compass requirement may be found on the Type Certificate Data
Sheet.

14 CFR (aka "FAR") 91.205 (addressing POWERED aircraft...which would
include motorgliders) says that aircraft must have a magnetic
direction indicator.

While it may not spell out "g-l-i-d-e-r", having one to avoid pain
during a ramp check might be worthwhile.

I have PAI-700's in both my glider and power plane. Some times they
work well, some times they're less desirable than the old whiskey
compass (e.g., in a nose high attitude...). On some airplanes, the
vertical card compass is superior (a Bonanza I used to fly comes to
mind). The chief advantage is a good picture of current vs. desired
heading (or heading to a landmark...maybe useful when navigating near
restricted airspace). Be sure to have a compass correction card on
board...I got dinged by the absence of the sheet...fortunately by my
A&P during an annual inspection!

I've never had a compass stop working because the batteries were
dead. Maybe that's why they're required?

-Pete
#309