Dead DG

Pack a small amount of paper into the knob's shaft hole so that the knob
can't slide onto the shaft too far. Some DG knobs, if allowed to slide all
the way onto the shaft, will hit the panel when you try to adjust the card.
If there isn't enough "throw" before the knob hits the panel, it won't allow
you to adjust the card. The set screw should hold it, but the paper trick
makes it fool proof and relieves the pressure from the set screw.

Jim


"Dave" wrote in message
...
Ummm.. make sure the Knob is not loose and turning freely. We had the
same symptoms, loose knob slipped "in" on the shaft hard against the
panel, so could not push the shaft in to uncage the gyro, so it coud
not be "set". Slid knob back out to proper position on shaft, toghten
set screw, fixed..

Maybe?

Dave


On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 22:33:53 -0600, "mbremer216"
wrote:

Well, it looks like my directional gyro just went belly up. When I went
for
a ride today, the setting knob was very sticky, and then suddenly not
sticky
at all as it now rotates freely and doesn't feel like it is engaging
anything. The gyro card does not rotate with the knob.

I have a Cherokee with a heading tracking Autocontrol III autopilot.

What are opinions regarding having it rebuilt as opposed to replaced?

Thanks

Mike

Thought about that one. The shaft turns with the knob and also goes in and
out. I was, at first hoping it was the knob.

I have recently started some instrument training and when doind timed turns
noticed quite a bit of discrepancy between the clock and the resulting turn
(over 20 degrees). While I may not have been spot on in maintaining the
turn rate via the needle & ball, there's no way I was that sloppy,
particularly since the error was similar with turns in both directions.

I'm just going to change it rather than fix it. Now the challenge is to
find a replacement that won't break the bank.

Thanks

Mike
"Dave" wrote in message
...
Ummm.. make sure the Knob is not loose and turning freely. We had the
same symptoms, loose knob slipped "in" on the shaft hard against the
panel, so could not push the shaft in to uncage the gyro, so it coud
not be "set". Slid knob back out to proper position on shaft, toghten
set screw, fixed..

Maybe?

Dave


On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 22:33:53 -0600, "mbremer216"
wrote:

Well, it looks like my directional gyro just went belly up. When I went
for
a ride today, the setting knob was very sticky, and then suddenly not
sticky
at all as it now rotates freely and doesn't feel like it is engaging
anything. The gyro card does not rotate with the knob.

I have a Cherokee with a heading tracking Autocontrol III autopilot.

What are opinions regarding having it rebuilt as opposed to replaced?

Thanks

Mike

mbremer216 wrote:

I have recently started some instrument training and when doind timed turns
noticed quite a bit of discrepancy between the clock and the resulting turn
(over 20 degrees). While I may not have been spot on in maintaining the
turn rate via the needle & ball, there's no way I was that sloppy,
particularly since the error was similar with turns in both directions.

I'm just going to change it rather than fix it. Now the challenge is to
find a replacement that won't break the bank.

Rmmmm?

Maybe I'm just confused or you were unclear. This reads as if your timed turns
aren't coming out on the right heading, so you're replacing your heading
indicator. I hope I'm wrong.

Dave

I'm replacing the DG because the setting knob will no longer engage the
compass card. The DG is also behind the turns (turned at a rate slower than
the mag compass). Also, it's pretty old and is probably past it's service
life.

Mike


"Dave Butler" wrote in message
news:1140790596.591398@sj-nntpcache-3...
mbremer216 wrote:

I have recently started some instrument training and when doind timed
turns noticed quite a bit of discrepancy between the clock and the
resulting turn (over 20 degrees). While I may not have been spot on in
maintaining the turn rate via the needle & ball, there's no way I was
that sloppy, particularly since the error was similar with turns in both
directions.

I'm just going to change it rather than fix it. Now the challenge is to
find a replacement that won't break the bank.

Rmmmm?

Maybe I'm just confused or you were unclear. This reads as if your timed
turns aren't coming out on the right heading, so you're replacing your
heading indicator. I hope I'm wrong.

Dave

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 09:18:22 -0600, "mbremer216"
wrote:

I'm replacing the DG because the setting knob will no longer engage the

Valid reason.

compass card. The DG is also behind the turns (turned at a rate slower than

Which could be quite normal. Mine, and most others, will at times even
turn the opposite direction. Just a fact of life and physics.

the mag compass). Also, it's pretty old and is probably past it's service
life.

If it still works it's not past a service life as I don't think they
have one.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com


Mike


"Dave Butler" wrote in message
news:1140790596.591398@sj-nntpcache-3...
mbremer216 wrote:

I have recently started some instrument training and when doind timed
turns noticed quite a bit of discrepancy between the clock and the
resulting turn (over 20 degrees). While I may not have been spot on in
maintaining the turn rate via the needle & ball, there's no way I was
that sloppy, particularly since the error was similar with turns in both
directions.

I'm just going to change it rather than fix it. Now the challenge is to
find a replacement that won't break the bank.

Rmmmm?

Maybe I'm just confused or you were unclear. This reads as if your timed
turns aren't coming out on the right heading, so you're replacing your
heading indicator. I hope I'm wrong.

Dave

Roger wrote:
On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 11:41:55 -0700, Newps wrote:



Denny wrote:


Well, let me take you into IMC and fail everything but your altimeter,
speedo, T&B and compass and I'll have you kissing that compass when you
are back down...
A DG is nice but it's nothing that will kill you if it goes bad in hard
IMC...

Who will ever look at the compass? The GPS runs on batteries. Just fly
a ground track instead of a heading.


GPS? You rely on a battery powered GPS?



Only after ships power stops working, then yes.

On 22 Feb 2006 07:55:53 -0800, "Denny" wrote:

You're fighting a losing battle my friend.
*********************************************** *

Yah, I'm a bit slow but I'm catching on....

The problem is that relying on all that new stuff can get you killed
as can relying on any specific piece of technology, old or new.
Over-the-years I've had just about any thing on the panel that can
fail, do do. The only thing I've not had to have fixed has been the
old compass and oil pressure gage. Mine happens to be a vertical card
compass.

I use GPS, but I maintain those "old" reliable skills.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

denny

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 14:17:42 -0600, "Jim Burns"
wrote:

After it was inspected and repaired, then reinstalled I should have junked
it or went the rebuilt route (which we ulimately did) rather than pulling it
for another inspection/repair.

I have close to a 1000 hours on a rebuilt AI. The DG was rebuilt
before I purchased the plane so I'd have to check the books to figure
out how much time is on it. Still I lost it on one flight due to the
filter.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

I wasn't satisfied that the DG only lasted 16 months after a overhaul before
it's problems started. That should have been my first clue. Then I had it
inspected and informed that it was "just out of balance" and "everything
else looked good". I should have only reinstalled it after convincing
myself that if anything happens, the unit is history. Well, "anything"
happened and instead of junking it, we stuck more $$ into it, only to be
told that "everything looks good, doesn't tumble on our vibration table, I'd
stick it back in".

Round 1: $400
Round 2: $300
Round 3: Overhauled Exchange $663

Jim






"Mark Hansen" wrote in message
...
On 02/21/06 08:18, Jim Burns wrote:
EdoAire Autopilot DG
Overhauled Aug. 2004
Tits up Dec. 2005 (out of warranty)
IRANed Dec. 2005
Operated properly for 7 hours then started spinning, wouldn't erect
IRANed Dec. 2005 2nd time
No problems found
Re installed, worked fine on the ground, failed during initial
takeoff
Replaced with overhauled unit after talking to Century Instruments

For the price of what we paid for removals, reinstalls, and IRAN's, THEN
for
an overhauled unit, we could have bought a new unit and had it installed
then sold our core to a rebuilder.

Lesson learned.

First of all, I'm very sorry for your bad experience. It sounds like a
nightmare.

However, what lesson? That 'overhauled' will always cost you more in the
long run? I don't see how that results in a lesson being learned, unless
of course, I'm missing something (which is probably the case... ;-) )

It seems to me you had an atypical experience. The same could happen with
a new component, couldn't it? Even if it's not as likely with new, the
chance in either case of serious problems like this must still be pretty
low.

Might some argue that the reconditioned equipment is a safer bet, because
the non-wearing parts have already been tested by in-service use, etc.?


Jim

--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA