Electronic Compensated Vario - opinion

I want to purchase a Electronic Compensated Vario for a glider without the plumbing for a TE tube. I do not want to add the plumbing

I don't need fancy - nor navigation or way-points....... just a good audio Vario

Any experience out there????

WH

If you don't have a really accurate pitot and static system (i.e. realistically a pitot/static double probe) then you will be unlikely to get decent electronic total energy.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at 2:42:31 PM UTC-5, wrote:
If you don't have a really accurate pitot and static system (i.e. realistically a pitot/static double probe) then you will be unlikely to get decent electronic total energy.

I currently use a Westerboer VW1020 set to electronic TE in my LS6. Love it, I think it's better than my SN10 hooked up to an Ilec TE probe - itself not a bad system.

Factory statics.

On sale at W & W ... (no affiliation).

Kirk

Clear nav vario works great with pitot/static connections.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at 12:29:48 PM UTC-6, wrote:
I want to purchase a Electronic Compensated Vario for a glider without the plumbing for a TE tube. I do not want to add the plumbing

I don't need fancy - nor navigation or way-points....... just a good audio Vario

Any experience out there????

WH

The 302 is good on electronic compensation.

A TE probe approximates the pitot pressure but subtracted rather than added to the static pressure. No reason not to use separate pitot and static pressures and combine them electronically. The TE probe was the solution back when vane type mechanical varios were the only option.

The best audio vario I've ever had, in terms of sound, was an old electronic "RICO VACS" from Redwood Instruments. It had electronic TE. The "ticks" it made, with both increasing frequency and pitch as lift got stronger, where easy to hear with low volume. Very weak lift sounded like an occasional tick. It was so easy to hear that I tried it in a powered plane and could hear it over the engine noise. Alas the 1970's electronics failed some time in the 2000's. I wish some current designs adopted its sound scheme, instead of annoying beeps.

On Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 10:25:06 AM UTC-7, wrote:
A TE probe approximates the pitot pressure but subtracted rather than added to the static pressure. No reason not to use separate pitot and static pressures and combine them electronically. The TE probe was the solution back when vane type mechanical varios were the only option.

The best audio vario I've ever had, in terms of sound, was an old electronic "RICO VACS" from Redwood Instruments. It had electronic TE. The "ticks" it made, with both increasing frequency and pitch as lift got stronger, where easy to hear with low volume. Very weak lift sounded like an occasional tick. It was so easy to hear that I tried it in a powered plane and could hear it over the engine noise. Alas the 1970's electronics failed some time in the 2000's. I wish some current designs adopted its sound scheme, instead of annoying beeps.

I agree with your comments about the RICO audio. I had one back in the day and the ticks were easy to hear and not annoying like the modern beeps and warbles. The vario itself wasn't very good, though...

That brings back memories, those ticks were easy to hear, to understand and didn't take up so much ambient noise, a short tick has more information than a longish beep or other tones.

On Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 10:25:06 AM UTC-7, wrote:
A TE probe approximates the pitot pressure but subtracted rather than added to the static pressure. No reason not to use separate pitot and static pressures and combine them electronically. The TE probe was the solution back when vane type mechanical varios were the only option.

The best audio vario I've ever had, in terms of sound, was an old electronic "RICO VACS" from Redwood Instruments. It had electronic TE. The "ticks" it made, with both increasing frequency and pitch as lift got stronger, where easy to hear with low volume. Very weak lift sounded like an occasional tick. It was so easy to hear that I tried it in a powered plane and could hear it over the engine noise. Alas the 1970's electronics failed some time in the 2000's. I wish some current designs adopted its sound scheme, instead of annoying beeps.

I would opt for light applause in light lift turning into raucous clapping, stomping and cheering I'm strong lift. In sink it would start with low moaning and progress to loud puking sounds. I suggested this to. Adler but he wasn't impressed with the idea...

Boggs

Interesting! A club glider had a Rico - I found the sound so irritating that I only flew the glider once.

On Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 3:13:26 PM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
That brings back memories, those ticks were easy to hear, to understand and didn't take up so much ambient noise, a short tick has more information than a longish beep or other tones.

On Thursday, July 13, 2017 at 10:25:06 AM UTC-7, wrote:
A TE probe approximates the pitot pressure but subtracted rather than added to the static pressure. No reason not to use separate pitot and static pressures and combine them electronically. The TE probe was the solution back when vane type mechanical varios were the only option.

The best audio vario I've ever had, in terms of sound, was an old electronic "RICO VACS" from Redwood Instruments. It had electronic TE. The "ticks" it made, with both increasing frequency and pitch as lift got stronger, where easy to hear with low volume. Very weak lift sounded like an occasional tick. It was so easy to hear that I tried it in a powered plane and could hear it over the engine noise. Alas the 1970's electronics failed some time in the 2000's. I wish some current designs adopted its sound scheme, instead of annoying beeps.