In reply to:
BTW, are you the author of Copilot for palm devices? It is my favorite aviation app.
Yes I am. I am glad that you enjoy it.
Laurie
What is copilot since my Palm is now useless for weather.
In reply to:
Lot cheaper than breaking the glass on the climb indicator (which can also serve as an alternate in an emergency)
And it’s way, way, cheaper than breaking the glass if you have a PFD!
-Mike
Gaynor,
That is an interesting and creative idea, but I would stick to standard procedure. In general, static events are pretty rare. Just be especially observant of the instruments when you are launching into IMC. If you start to see the instruments bounce and/or freeze, just flip the alternate static lever. If it is anywhere close to freezing, you should get the pitot heat on, as well.
In reply to:
Would it be safer to always use alternate static during takeoff?
Umm, I’d say no. Using the alt static source provides a whole different range of possibilites for erroneous readings; the readings will differ with the amount of ventilation entering the cabin, and will jerk when vents are opened & closed. A door left open and buffeting could produce just the kind of bouncing readings that are of concern from the water problem.
I use a pitot cover and a plane cover that covers the static ports, and have never experienced water in the systems after parking the planes outdoors for the last 4 years. I did have a takeoff abort once after forgetting the pitot cover, but I’ve never forgotten to remove the plane cover!
In reply to:
I’ve never forgotten to remove the plane cover!
Curt,
Neither have I, but only because it has this big flag that says “Remove Before Starting Engine.” And, I have a hard time getting the door open with that cover on.
Todd Carroll
Dear Navy,
Thanks for the post. I fully agree. Ice and light aircraft are a dangerous combination.
If you want to read some really interesting posts on this and many other subjects join COPA. We accept Naval Aviators (the world’s best pilots) even if they aren’t Cirrus Pilots. For $50/year you have access the member’s forum where the quality and quantity of posts far exceeds what’s on the Guest Discussion.
You have summed up well what we have been debating all week. Could not agree more, particularly with your comments about ice WITH a deice airplane and the fcat that the pilot needs to know how to fly the plnae WITHOUT the fancy stuff working!
Boy…oh Boy…
thanks for the “truth”… all good points…
thanks for your insight
fw
That’s how it should be done. The Cirrus is going to get a bad rap for stupid pilot mistakes. There is no reason why you would lose aircraft control when you have a stand by system. No reason. I agree. Turn the computers off and cover up your non-pc intruments that cirrus has planted near your knees and fly the basics. If that does not work use your old turn and bank. Timed turns. Basic instrument control will beat panic everytime. It has been a sr-22 down almost every week now. If Cirrus cared anything about it They would take them out and show them what happens if you lose your big flat screen tv’s. You can not just sell an sr-22 with all the goods to anybody. Some of these poor fellas have no clue on what to do if they get into trouble. They just get the around the patch check out and Go? It has been an SR-22 a week almost. I am a pro pilot for years and do follow this group. I wonder who and where these poor fellas get trained with. I am not any kind of writer or an engineer. I fly for a living. I follow this group as I have seen many accidents on the aircraft. I do hope cirrus gets something out there on training. To be honest, Rich guys with money. That is the reason insurance have the rates they do. These guys will fly into a mountain for a business meeting. what a way to go. I am an cap on a A-320 now and got here from knowing my limitaions, my aircraft and the weather. oh and also … lotsa brown nosin 
In reply to:
The standby HSI is there for a reason.
I knew I was missing something! What happened to my standby HSI?
In reply to:
Dear Navy,
Thanks for the post. I fully agree. Ice and light aircraft are a dangerous combination.
If you want to read some really interesting posts on this and many other subjects join COPA. We accept Naval Aviators (the world’s best pilots) even if they aren’t Cirrus Pilots. For $50/year you have access the member’s forum where the quality and quantity of posts far exceeds what’s on the Guest Discussion.
Dear Navy;
I agree and join in everything you say. I even agree with everything Jerry said. You would definately be an asset to our forum. If the Navy would only put a tailhook on my Cirrus, I would re-up.
Rather a condescending (and inflammatory) post, but I’ll take the bait…
It’s hardly one a week. Maybe it seems that way sometimes, but we go a long time with no accidents, then get a few clustered. One a week would be a couple hundred by now, and we have just a handful to date (still too many, of course)
I’m a pro pilot who doesn’t happen to fly big iron. I assume you never make stupid mistakes? You just have a lot more support and backup and company training, not to mention ways to catch mistakes early. When you screw the pooch, you can just reset your multi-million dollar simulator - good for you!
Rich guys with money? d’oh! As opposed to rich guys without money?
In reply to:
If that does not work use your old turn and bank.
IMHO, the only element of your post that makes sense, but I think you just made a stupid A-320 pilot mistake. In our planes we don’t have turn and banks - at least not visible ones. I think Cirrus is taking an unnecessary gamble here - I predict a future lawsuit where the claim is made that if the T & B had been visible the aircraft would not have been lost.
In reply to:
I am not any kind of writer . . .
Well we can agree on that point. What I really like about this forum is that it is filled with contributors who want to keep on learning and who want to share what they have already learned. What I don’t like is reading the occasional post where it appears the author doesn’t need to learn any more, because he/she already HAS all the answers. I wouldn’t want a know-it-all pilot up front in my A-320 either. But that’s just me.
Jim Knollenberg SR20 1281 N814
In reply to:
In our planes we don’t have turn and banks - at least not visible ones. I think Cirrus is taking an unnecessary gamble here
Well, they have the FAA on their side. In AC91-75 they state,
Substituting a second attitude indicator (with a power source independent from the primary attitude indicator) for the rate-of-turn indicator will provide an increased level of safety.
In reply to:
Well, they have the FAA on their side
Yeah, that’ll help! (right Dennis?)
BTW, if there were and STC to make the T & B visible, sign me up (if it’s under $1,000)
FWIW, the G1000 has a hidden Turn Coordinator to drive the legacy King autopilot. They plan on removing it as well when the G1000 has an autopilot.
With both the Avidyne and the G1000, I would have really preferred to have it visible, and stay visible as a backup instrument. I really don’t understand the reasoning of both manufacturers in this case.
In reply to:
Yif there were and STC to make the T & B visible, sign me up
Just FYI, the reason the turn coordinator is hidden is Cirrus is anticipating the move to digital autopilots which won’t require a TC. They didn’t want the TC on the type certificate so they hid it and certified the plane without it. No reason you couldn’t bring it out if you can find a spot for it.
In reply to:
Just FYI, the reason the turn coordinator is hidden is Cirrus is anticipating the move to digital autopilots which won’t require a TC.
Curt,
That’s cool. Do you know if it is something in the hopper right now at Avidyne, maybe in development for Avio among other things?
In reply to:
Do you know if it is something in the hopper right now at Avidyne, maybe in development for Avio among other things?
I know nothink, nothink! But if you take a tour of Eclipse you can get quite an eyeful of Avio, which centerpieces something called Entegra II…