Compass

Does an experimental ASW20B require a compass to be legal. The
minimum equipment list in the amnual does not specify a compass?

As best I can tell, the answer appears to be no. My ASW20 has one but
I don't think I have ever looked at it.

A review of the FAR's turns up the following "compass" or "direction
indicator" citations:

91.205 Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S.
airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements.

(a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(3) and (e) of this
section, no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a
standard category U.S. airworthiness certificate in any operation
described in paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section unless that
aircraft contains the instruments and equipment specified in those
paragraphs (or FAA-approved equivalents) for that type of operation,
and those instruments and items of equipment are in operable
condition.

(b) Visual-flight rules (day). For VFR flight during the day, the
following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Airspeed indicator.
(2) Altimeter.
(3) Magnetic direction indicator.

But this section applies to POWERED AIRCRAFT

---OR---

PART 23--AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND
COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES
Subpart F--Equipment
§ 23.1303 Flight and navigation instruments.
The following are the minimum required flight and navigation
instruments:
(a) An airspeed indicator.
(b) An altimeter.
(c) A direction indicator (nonstabilized magnetic compass).

But this will not apply you are not an AIRPLANE

So unless someone can come up with a reference to gliders or aircraft,
my vote is that the "direction indicator" is not required, unless
otherwise required by the manufacturer certification.

The FAR's are searchable online he

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...4/14tab_02.tpl

In Bob Carlton's Convention talk about ramp checks, he said that gliders
are not required to have a compass. However, sometimes the
airworthiness document requires one. See, for example, the type
certificate data sheet for the ASW-27 at http://tinyurl.com/2qpqhr.



Todd wrote:
As best I can tell, the answer appears to be no. My ASW20 has one but
I don't think I have ever looked at it.

A review of the FAR's turns up the following "compass" or "direction
indicator" citations:

91.205 Powered civil aircraft with standard category U.S.
airworthiness certificates: Instrument and equipment requirements.

(a) General. Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(3) and (e) of this
section, no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a
standard category U.S. airworthiness certificate in any operation
described in paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section unless that
aircraft contains the instruments and equipment specified in those
paragraphs (or FAA-approved equivalents) for that type of operation,
and those instruments and items of equipment are in operable
condition.

(b) Visual-flight rules (day). For VFR flight during the day, the
following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Airspeed indicator.
(2) Altimeter.
(3) Magnetic direction indicator.

But this section applies to POWERED AIRCRAFT

---OR---

PART 23--AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND
COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES
Subpart F--Equipment
§ 23.1303 Flight and navigation instruments.
The following are the minimum required flight and navigation
instruments:
(a) An airspeed indicator.
(b) An altimeter.
(c) A direction indicator (nonstabilized magnetic compass).

But this will not apply you are not an AIRPLANE

So unless someone can come up with a reference to gliders or aircraft,
my vote is that the "direction indicator" is not required, unless
otherwise required by the manufacturer certification.

The FAR's are searchable online he

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...4/14tab_02.tpl

On Feb 17, 5:48*pm, wrote:
Does an experimental ASW20B require a compass to be legal. *The
minimum equipment list in the amnual does not specify a compass?


What does the POH say is the required minimum equipment?
What does the Type Certificate say?

On 2/18/08 10:30 AM, in article
,
"thermalrider" wrote:

On Feb 17, 5:48*pm, wrote:
Does an experimental ASW20B require a compass to be legal. *The
minimum equipment list in the amnual does not specify a compass?


What does the POH say is the required minimum equipment?
What does the Type Certificate say?


Why would someone not want a compass?

On Feb 18, 11:33*am, Bullwinkle wrote:
Why would someone not want a compass?

Because, except in the case of total GPS failure, or the rare case
that a glider is given an ATC heading vector, they are a waste of
panel space?

Andy

On Feb 18, 10:25*am, Greg Arnold wrote:
*However, sometimes the
airworthiness document requires one. *See, for example, the type
certificate data sheet for the ASW-27 athttp://tinyurl.com/2qpqhr.

Interestingly the ASW-28 TCDS issued later does not list a compass in
the equipment list.

For an experimental glider, even if here is a standard type
certificate and associated TCDS, I don't think the TCDS applies.
Minimum equipment may be listed in the experimental certification docs
(operational limitations) but that may depend the date of the
airworthiness inspection and the region in which it was conducted.
Recent experimental glider cert docs seem to be more standardized than
they were when the ASW-20 was new.

Andy

"Bullwinkle" wrote in message
...
On 2/18/08 10:30 AM, in article
,
"thermalrider" wrote:

On Feb 17, 5:48 pm, wrote:
Does an experimental ASW20B require a compass to be legal. The
minimum equipment list in the amnual does not specify a compass?


What does the POH say is the required minimum equipment?
What does the Type Certificate say?


Why would someone not want a compass?


Because, at least in my case, heading is less interesting than ground track
displayed by a GPS. I carry a handheld GPS as a backup. I have no compass.

Bill D

Bill Daniels wrote:

Because, at least in my case, heading is less interesting than ground track
displayed by a GPS. I carry a handheld GPS as a backup. I have no compass.

In my case, I do not carry a handheld backup GPS. I was happy to have a
working compass available twice so far.

On 2/18/08 12:30 PM, in article
, "Bill Daniels"
bildan@comcast-dot-net wrote:


"Bullwinkle" wrote in message
...
On 2/18/08 10:30 AM, in article
,
"thermalrider" wrote:

On Feb 17, 5:48 pm, wrote:
Does an experimental ASW20B require a compass to be legal. The
minimum equipment list in the amnual does not specify a compass?


What does the POH say is the required minimum equipment?
What does the Type Certificate say?


Why would someone not want a compass?


Because, at least in my case, heading is less interesting than ground track
displayed by a GPS. I carry a handheld GPS as a backup. I have no compass.

Bill D



OK. To each his own.

Personally, I am happy to have the basics. If all the electronics go, I can
still get home the old-fashioned way.