Glareshield mounted compass?

I'm totally with Steve Koerner on this one - Sticking a useless piece of 18th century hardware on the glareshield where it obstructs the field of view forward is ridiculous and potentially dangerous.

Seriously, have you EVER navigated using your mag compass as the primary nav instrument?

In my LS6, a compass on the glareshield will completely block my view of the towplane when in normal high tow. It was the first thing I pitched when I got the glider. I replaced it (to keep the A&Ps happy) with a small PZL ball compass tucked in a corner of the instrument panel. It has now been moved due to the mounting of a PFlarm butterfly display in it's prized bit of panel real estate, and will be relocated in the shade behind my Oudie; so when the end of the world happens and all the GPS satellites fall out of the sky I can still pretend to navigate (until the earth's magnetic field switches again - it's due).

Another good place to put it is in the side map pocket - then you can pull it out and admire it when needed. Very retro, and all...

Kirk
66

On Sunday, March 9, 2014 6:47:24 PM UTC-4, kirk.stant wrote:

Another good place to put it is in the side map pocket

I have my backup backup compass back behind the seat back in my landout kit. A compass is the best tool if you ever need to bushwhack in dense woods.

It's part of my manufacturer issued type certificate as well as a part 91 reg. As a professional pilot, I just assume not hang my livelihood out there with some hokie backup compass. That being said, I agree that it's useless with the exception of a very few scenarios. I do love the DC9 series compass. So much swing error that it has to be mounted on the aft cockpit bulkhead. Seen it many times. Awesome. Incredible that thing was designed looking at slide rules through thick glasses before we even engineered the Lunar Lander. What a TANK.

Jordan
E

On Thursday, March 13, 2014 1:04:03 AM UTC-5, Echo wrote:
It's part of my manufacturer issued type certificate as well as a part 91 reg. As a professional pilot, I just assume not hang my livelihood out there with some hokie backup compass. That being said, I agree that it's useless with the exception of a very few scenarios.

Understood - which is why I still have an aviation compass in my cockpit - but I refuse to be less safe (reduced visibility) to satisfy some bogus FAR requirement. So I found the smallest certified aircraft compass (the little PZL KI-13A) that I could mount in an inconspicuous location on my panel.

Sometimes, it's the little things in life...

Kirk
66

On Thursday, March 13, 2014 12:04:03 AM UTC-6, Echo wrote:
It's part of my manufacturer issued type certificate as well as a part 91 reg. As a professional pilot, I just assume not hang my livelihood out there with some hokie backup compass. That being said, I agree that it's useless with the exception of a very few scenarios. I do love the DC9 series compass. So much swing error that it has to be mounted on the aft cockpit bulkhead. Seen it many times. Awesome. Incredible that thing was designed looking at slide rules through thick glasses before we even engineered the Lunar Lander. What a TANK.



Jordan

E

I agree with that you must comply with the manufacturers type certificate, but I can't seem to the find any part 91 regs that require one for glider?

Brian

Glider=aircraft unless the SSA pulled a waiver from the FAA for that too...