Cheap Glide Computer

On Nov 5, 9:57*pm, Brad wrote:
On Nov 5, 6:10*pm, Tim Taylor wrote:



On Nov 5, 5:59*pm, RT wrote:

On Nov 5, 9:42*am, Uncle Fuzzy wrote:

I just put together a REALLY cheap system for budding LVVSA XC pilots
to use. *Here's the breakdown:
iPAQ 3870 - ebay $22.50 including shipping (I bought a 'lot' of 5)
New battery - $20.00
Bluetooth GPS from Semsons $23.60 including shippinghttp://www.semsons.com/amabg108blgp.html
XCSoar - Free
I haven't determined if I can make OLC valid files yet.

I use a homemade prayer wheel that I copied from a free program off
the web somewhere. *For the cost of laminating two pieces of paper,
one screw, a nut, and a washer I have a fail proof circular computer.
And it has a scale on the side for measuring distances on a sectional
LOL!

map too.

It is as you said:

Praying you read it correct in rough conditions.
Praying you figured the winds correct.
Praying you have time to redo the calculations for that second airport
when the conditions deteriorate.
Praying you estimated you position correctly.

Sorry the days of praying have been gone for 40 years.

I saw the secret, I deserve to make that airport.................I do,
I do, I do.................!

RT wrote:

I use a homemade prayer wheel that I copied from a free program off
the web somewhere. For the cost of laminating two pieces of paper,
one screw, a nut, and a washer I have a fail proof circular computer.
And it has a scale on the side for measuring distances on a sectional
map too.

And it still works when the electrics fail.

Nick

On Nov 6, 3:09*am, Nick Hill wrote:
RT wrote:
I use a homemade prayer wheel that I copied from a free program off
the web somewhere. *For the cost of laminating two pieces of paper,
one screw, a nut, and a washer I have a fail proof circular computer.
And it has a scale on the side for measuring distances on a sectional
map too.

And it still works when the electrics fail.

Nick

Does it work when you forget the chart? A much more likely occurance
than electrics failing.

Richard

On Nov 6, 3:09*am, Nick Hill wrote:
RT wrote:
I use a homemade prayer wheel that I copied from a free program off
the web somewhere. *For the cost of laminating two pieces of paper,
one screw, a nut, and a washer I have a fail proof circular computer.
And it has a scale on the side for measuring distances on a sectional
map too.

And it still works when the electrics fail.

Nick
Great if you've enough room in your cockpit to manipulate the charts.
I don't.
In the last 15,000 kilometers of cross country flying I've done, and
the other 200+hours of just-for-fun flying, I've had exactly ONE
problem with my flight computer, and that was fixed by a push of the
reset button. I have had more 'chart' failures than that. Trying to
re-fold the chart when I fly off the section I have open often results
in torn charts, and always results in quite a bit of time I'm NOT able
to keep my eyes out of the cockpit. I'll stick to my 'situation at a
glance' system for now.

I skip the wheel and go straight to praying. usually every flight
right after tow release.

Tony

On Nov 6, 9:39*am, Tony wrote:
I skip the wheel and go straight to praying. usually every flight
right after tow release.

Tony

Update:
The system works great, but I might recommend a different Bluetooth
GPS unit. The one I linked to in the original post has a pretty
consistant altitude error, of more than 200 feet. The horizontal
position is consistantly quite good.