Dual glide slope, $95...priceless!

The older VOR heads (the ones fed by the KX-170B style, not the KX-155
style) can be relied upon to be 6 degrees off every couple of months.
Although technically an avionics shop needs to do the adjustment most
owners puchase the spline screwdriver and do the adjustment themselves.
You simply remove the OBS knob (via set screw) and there adjustment
screw is behind it. Usually I do it as MHR or SAC where you have a VOT.

-Robert


Jack Allison wrote:
It's funny how anything less than $100 seems cheap when it comes to
fixing something on an airplane (especially when it's your own
airplane). Hmmm, must be because after the inevitable $1000+ repairs,
anything less than $100 seems like chump change. Go figure.

When we bought the Arrow, one thought I had when looking at pictures of
the panel was "Cool, dual glide slopes!"...only to later discover that
the glide slope in the #2 nav head didn't work. I don't recall if we
were told or if we surmised that we may not have a glide slope receiver
for the #2 nav. After just now poking around a bit on the web, I've
learned that our nav radios have built in glide slope receivers.

We had the plane at the avionics shop to get the VORs tuned since it's
never good when the #1 VOR indicates six degrees left of course when the
#2 VOR indicates (correctly) that you're on course. It turns out this
was an easy fix for the avionics guys. While doing the work, they
informed us that we do indeed have a glide slope receiver on the #2 nav
and that the problem can likely be fixed for an hour of labor ($95). We
authorize the hour for diagnosis and the problem turned out to be a few
recessed pins in a connector. The end result? We now have a functional
#2 glide slope and it only cost us $95...ah, life is good. Compared to a
rough estimate of $1700 to buy/install a second glide slope receiver,
the $95 option is...well...chump change.

Of course, now we *need* to go test fly the plane. Like I said, life is
good! :-)

--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

Robert M. Gary wrote:
The older VOR heads (the ones fed by the KX-170B style, not the KX-155
style) can be relied upon to be 6 degrees off every couple of months.

The one that was off is a newer Garmin, installed along with the GNS430
by the previous owner. While I haven't checked the logs on this, I'd
bet it hasn't been tuned since then. During the first 1.5 years of
ownership, both VORs were never more than +/- one degree.

Although technically an avionics shop needs to do the adjustment most
owners puchase the spline screwdriver and do the adjustment themselves.
You simply remove the OBS knob (via set screw) and there adjustment
screw is behind it. Usually I do it as MHR or SAC where you have a VOT.

Hmmm, interesting...not something that gets logged I'd bet :-)


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

Jack, you are going to be in the position of the guy with two wris****ches.
He's never sure exactly what time it is.



"Jack Allison" wrote in message
. ..


Although technically an avionics shop needs to do the adjustment most
owners puchase the spline screwdriver and do the adjustment themselves.
You simply remove the OBS knob (via set screw) and there adjustment
screw is behind it. Usually I do it as MHR or SAC where you have a VOT.

Yes, and that setscrew is a SPLINE, and a little tiny bugger at that. It
takes the smallest spline in my toolbox to get it off. The screwdriver
needs to be a small long shaft as well...I've got an old footlong
eighth-inch fiberglass "TV Tuner adjuster" that works for me.




Hmmm, interesting...not something that gets logged I'd bet :-)

Log? You keep a LOG?????

{;-)

Jim

RST Engineering wrote:
Jack, you are going to be in the position of the guy with two wris****ches.
He's never sure exactly what time it is.

LOL..."Ok we're above glide slope, no below glide slope, left of course,
on course...aw heck, average everything out between the two glide slopes
and localizers"

Yes, and that setscrew is a SPLINE, and a little tiny bugger at that. It
takes the smallest spline in my toolbox to get it off. The screwdriver
needs to be a small long shaft as well...I've got an old footlong
eighth-inch fiberglass "TV Tuner adjuster" that works for me.

Sounds like I need to get me one of those...um...for...er...when I need
to tune my TV :-)

Hmmm, interesting...not something that gets logged I'd bet :-)

Log? You keep a LOG?????

Well, yeah, gotta have some place to put those expensive stickers the
shops type up for us...on those occasions where we opt to have them work
on the plane that is :-)


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

Jack Allison wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
The older VOR heads (the ones fed by the KX-170B style, not the KX-155
style) can be relied upon to be 6 degrees off every couple of months.

The one that was off is a newer Garmin, installed along with the GNS430
by the previous owner. While I haven't checked the logs on this, I'd
bet it hasn't been tuned since then. During the first 1.5 years of
ownership, both VORs were never more than +/- one degree.

Interesting, those are normally highly accurate. I also have two
glideslopes. I always tell myself I should set both but almost always
forget. Even when I do set it, I tend to forget to look at the #2.
However, I do take careful note of the FAF altitude as a GS
verification.

-Robert