wrote in message
oups.com...
I had the same AH in my motor glider (but running on 12 volts, not 14)
and removed it after a few years and one very expensive overhaul. It
was just too unreliable.


I've also heard the electric artificial horizons (AH) or attitude indicators
(AI) have not been so reliable. Also, most are relatively expensive and
large 80mm (3.125") and so take up a lot of panel space. The smaller 2.25"
inch gyro instruments, as used in jet aircraft, have been very pricey.
Recently there have been some better options.

PC Flight Systems has PDA based AI and the smaller, stand alone E-gyro.
Though the E-gyro is sold as an AI, though functionally it is really more of
a needle and ball (without the ball), providing mostly roll info with a
relatively insensitive pitch display. Practically, this is just fine for
gliders, 'cause if you can keep the wings level, pitch is controlled by
airspeed, control-feel, sound . . . or whatever you have handy that isn't
iced up and still works!

The Garmin 196 that Marty and I both use, provides a GPS derived and very
usable panel display. When flown by an experienced instrument pilot, the 196
can get you safely out of the soup "partial panel". In the lower left corner
of the 196 display is a depiction of what looks like a turn coordinator.
However, if functions to display turn info only.

I'm currently using a TruTrack and am very happy with it. It reacts a bit
faster than the 196 panel (which has about a 1 second delay) and many pilots
will find the TruTrack display more intuitive and easier to fly as its blue
horizon remains pretty much in line with the real one. Again, no pitch info
on this instrument, but it seems ideally suited for gliders, being light, 57
mm, draws 150 ma (install a toggle switch), goes from power-off to usable
display in 3 seconds (even in a steep bank), and costs about $450 USD.

all the best,

bumper