I picked up my plane from annual in Madison, WI last week and found that the Sandel was acting strange. I lined up with runway 21 and it read 150. I took it back to the avionics guy who was too busy to look at it (can you believe??) so I decided to go home to Chicago without a heading indicator (it was clear and since all the roads in the Midwest are N/S or E/W I figured I could find my way (head east to the big lake then turn right).
I suspected the Sandel settings were incorrect and I remembered that Rick Beach had posted about that so I contacted him and he told me how to check them. I did, and they were, in fact incorrect. I set the Sandel up correctly and all was well until my next flight when after some turbulence I got a “gyro invalid” message on the Sandel. I went to the avionics shop on my home airport and they replaced the gyro. On the next flight the same error message appeared. A search of the COPA site revealed that several members experienced Sandel problems secondary to problems with the connectors to the Sandel. I went back to the shop this AM and told them to check all the connectors. They did and found that the Sandel was indeed not seated in the panel exactly right. They tightened everything up (or whatever they do exactly) and the problem is fixed.
The point is that the information on the forums is absolutely invaluable. The money saved in suggesting the problem to the technician and allowing him to fix everything without spending 3 or 4 hours troubleshooting more than pays the price of admission.
I’m posting this on the Public Forum because I want to demonstrate the value of COPA membership. If you’re not a COPA member you can do yourself a really big favor and join COPA now. It’s an extraordinary investment in safe flying.
Totally agree.
We should keep making these points publically, I’m sure we have all had this experiance.
Ian
I completely agree. Spend the money and join. There have been numerous occasions where I was able to secure information that was helpful not only in discussions with my SC but in directing an inquiry to Cirrus.
Also, two situations have arisen wherein no information was contained regarding my particular problem so I put out the problem to the membership to review. In both situations the result is that several others have had the same problem but thought perhaps it was unique to themselves. I must thank Mike Murdock for encouraging my participation.
Whether you are deciding to purchase, have one and need normal maintenance or feel you have a lemon our site is extremely valuable. it’s money well invested.
Stephen Blevins, N246TJ, S/N 0382
Even as an owner of a different plane, I have found COPA to be more than worth the price of admission, in both information and entertainment. Don’t fly anywhere without it.
Kevin,
if you do not exist, someone should to invent you! [:D]
Sincere thanks to you, all other COPA board and members that dayly keep up this really useful web-site & forum.
Thank
What I’ve heard in Groningen is, that 50% of COPA members even don’t own a Cirrus !
So you are the people who can give the other perspective.
Alan Klapmeier handing over the keys of the 100th European Cirrus, an all electric SR20 N100EU !
Jaap
SR20 - 220 N262CD
EHLE based
Kevin almost made me buy a STOL !
But the waiting list is longer than for a Cirrus.
Jaap
SR20 - 220 N262CD
EHLE based