On Tuesday, February 26, 2013 7:55:05 AM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
On Tuesday, February 26, 2013 1:11:34 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:



I would agree and disagree with Dan about this. Obvious reasons

include expense (gyros are expensive), weight, and power.



Here is a relatively inexpensive, low-maintenance, non-gyro based, and low power consuming Turn and Bank Indicator (that claims to be much easier to use than the old style).



http://www.trutrakflightsystems.com/..._and_Bank.html

I haven't used the Tru-Track but I have a lot of "hood time" with old fashioned partial-panel "needle-ball-airspeed-clock-compass" flying including unusual attitude recovery. Using a T&B and ASI to maintain aircraft control is a difficult skill to acquire and just as difficult to maintain. That said, given that a pilot is highly trained and very current, it does work.

However, there is a difference between airplanes and gliders WRT the T&B. An airplane T&B displays a "standard rate turn" (2 minutes per 360 turn) as two needle widths. (Needle on the "doghouse" for the old guys.) That's 6 times too sensitive for a glider where the typical turn rate is 20 seconds per turn. Turns to a heading are much easier with an airplanes slow turn rate.

Another special problem for glider pilots is we learn and practice a sort of "seat-of-the-pants" flying. However, instrument flying is the polar opposite where one must completely ignore all kinetic and vestibular "feelings" and totally commit to believing the instruments even when every fiber in your your body is screaming the instruments are wrong - and your body WILL scream at you. Saying the "mind plays tricks" is a huge understatement.

Real single-pilot, partial-panel instrument flying is a deadly serious business not to be undertaken lightly. That's why pilots without the training and currency will almost always lose control of the aircraft as soon as visual references are lost.

What concerns me most about this thread is the emphasis on instruments themselves and not the training required to use them. Training is the key.