Alternative magnetic compass

In the US you might check your glider Type Data Certificate. The Libelle H301 does not require a compass unless you are intending to do cloud flying, which is, of course, not permitted in the US contests. (However it is still possible to have a glider certificate with instrument privileges, but I haven't figured out how to take the test!)

Mike

Oops, I stand corrected, the TCDS for the Libelle requires a compass, HOWEVER, the pilot manual says that the compass is only required for cloud flying.

From the LAK-17a Flight Manual:

For cloud flying the following additional equipment is required:

- variometer;
- magnetic compass compensated in the sailplane;
- turn and bank indicator, non-icing;
- transceiver;
- parachute, automatic or manual opening type;
- thermometer for outside air;
- non-icing airspeed system.

The minimum equipment must correspond with national regulations.

I've been instrument rated for about 41 years and I don't know what a
non-icing turn and bank indicator is or how it works. Could someone
enlighten me, please? And let's not forget the pitot /and/ static
heat! Maybe total energy probe heat, as well. There's a mag compass
mounted at the far forward end of my glare shield (probably from the
factory) with a nice, flat black aluminum hood over it. It's below the
level of the plexiglass and unobtrusive and I practically never look at
it. Instead, I use that mountain 100 miles distant to orient myself.

On 10/28/2015 10:12 PM, SoaringXCellence wrote:
Oops, I stand corrected, the TCDS for the Libelle requires a compass, HOWEVER, the pilot manual says that the compass is only required for cloud flying.

--
Dan, 5J

I just googled searched for photos of F-22 and F-35 cockpits and instrument panels, did not see a compass. Sure there is a gryo, but could not find a non electronic compass. I too think it is a relic of days gone by. I have three gps' in my bird, a selection of three batteries with turtle deck solar panels, I can use to power the instrument cluster and each instrument is individually fused. As a back up I have an iPhone, and maps where by I can align the topographic features to what I see outside, thus determine the rough compass headings.

In 4,500 hours of flying I have only used a vertical card compass to determine the direction of the runway while approaching an airport. Now with my moving map, I think I shall not even do that.

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 1:30:07 PM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
I have three gps' in my bird...

Shocking. Time to upgrade. Minimum equipment:

PowerFlarm
Logger#2
AHRS w/GPS
Personal tracker
406ELT w/GPS
iPhone w/GPS

Obviously you're way behind!
And probably not enough batteries either ;-)

I used my compass to advantage this Fall (for the first time ever) when working a narrow band of rotor lift at relatively low altitude with a head wind speed that was slower than my stall speed.

I'd fly out of the rotor lift and into sink after flying straight for about 20 seconds, turn around fast and fly downwind on the opposite compass heading to roughly above my ground reference point, then fly the same upwind compass heading repeatedly. I eventually climbed a couple thousand feet into weak wave. (I really enjoy working rotor).

Moving map was turned off. Perhaps the moving map would have made it too easy, and I would have missed the 'learning experience' of working rotor without the moving map.

I'd add that the 'compass swing' was irrelevant to this exercise as the headings that I used were just arbitrary (but repeatable) numbers.

Call me 'old school' but I also feel that it is beneficial to the improvement of my 'seat of the pants' skills for me to center thermals without 'Digital Thermal Assistants'.

Canadian Regulation Gliders — Day VFR

605.21 No person shall operate a glider in
day VFR flight unless it is equipped with
(a) an altimeter;
(b) an airspeed indicator;
(c) a magnetic compass or a magnetic
direction indicator; and...

There's a few varios with that capability.

A computer with moving map that shows
magnetic bearing should also satisfy this
reg.

The chance that a Transport Canada
inspector would make a fuss over a
single seater without a compass is close
to zilch, but the guy who signs your
annual needs some coverage.

On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 11:10:28 AM UTC-7, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 1:30:07 PM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
I have three gps' in my bird...

Shocking. Time to upgrade. Minimum equipment:

PowerFlarm
Logger#2
AHRS w/GPS
Personal tracker
406ELT w/GPS
iPhone w/GPS

Obviously you're way behind!
And probably not enough batteries either ;-)

I have 5:

Air Avionics ISU
PowerFlarm
iPhone 6+ used for iGlide
iPhone 5s used for cell phone
Delorme Inreach

Nevertheless, in the unlikely event of an EMP or the more likely event of GPS interference/unavailability, none will work.

But I have never flown a compass course in a glider. In VFR, you don't need it; in IFR, it is insufficient without an AHRS, and then you don't need it. Conclusion: you don't need it.

Jon, thought I had four GPS devices but if you're counting phones, etc....
ClearNav vario
ClearNav 2
Air-Glide vario
PowerFLARM
APRS
InReach
"Phone"

Realised a week or so ago that there is no vario needle in the panel. Just triangles, lines and dots.

But there's a mysterious liquid-filled instrument near the bottom of the panel that has numbers on a wobbly thing inside.
It's not on the minimum equipment list. Should probably be stored somewhere with a sextant and knotted rope or the vacuum tube NAV radio from an Illyushin IL-76.
Jim

When you guys get finished counting up your electronics with triple redundant power supplies, keep in mind that you still have a single point of failu the GPS satellite system. I realize I'm ignoring phones that use the cell towers to triangulate your position but none of the whizzy soaring-specific gadgets have that capability, to my knowledge.

I've used a magnetic compass a LOT in nearly 3,000 hours of glider flying. Before GPS it was indispensable. I still refer to it occasionally for quick reciprocals (it's a vertical card). And it's nice to know that with it and my paper chart (yeah, how quaint), I could still get home. Of course, forget getting credit for the flight since the logger is worthless if the GPS system is taken down. Oh, well. It sits way forward on the glare shield and doesn't get in the way so that's where it will stay.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
U.S.A.