Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compasses

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri May 18, 2001 8:28 am

Original Posted By: "Michael Brusilow"
Hey everyone Does anyone out there have any experience with a vertical card compass in a Piet. I'm trying to buy the expensive stuff a little at a time while I'm building. They say vertical card compasses are sensitve to magnetic interferance such as the cabane struts on each side of a piet cockpit. But the vertical card is nice for figuring runway directions like a H.I. So if anyone knows if they will work surrounded by cabane struts please let me know. Thanks Ed G.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri May 18, 2001 9:16 am

Original Posted By: "Rodger & Betty Childs"
Hey everyone Thanks Ed G.Ed, do you really need a vertical card compass in a Piet? . I have done alot of Piet flying, & the magnetic compass works fine. Fact is, most Pietflying is IFR ( I follow roads ).Mike B Piet N687MB ( Mr Sam )________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Fri May 18, 2001 9:44 pm

Original Posted By: david kowell
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compassesIn a message dated 5/18/01 6:30:48 AM Pacific Daylight Time, flyboy_120(at)hotmail.com writes:> Does anyone out there have any experience with a vertical card compass > in a Piet. I'm trying to buy the expensive stuff a little at a time while > I'm building. They say vertical card compasses are sensitve to magnetic > interferance such as the cabane struts on each side of a piet cockpit. But > the vertical card is nice for figuring runway directions like a H.I. So if > anyone knows if they will work surrounded by cabane struts please let me > Ed,With one hundred hours now on my Piet, I have found that my regular whiskey type compass bounces around so much, I just use it for a general direction as distinct from an actual precise heading. The rest is pilotage and loose dead reckoning. Perhaps the vertical compass card is more stable, I' m not sure. I have been flying formation with a couple of cubs lately and I ask them if they ever use their compasses and the answer was jokingly "what compass". My opinion is that the vertical card would fine and certainly a builder's choice, but not necessary. I have also found for myself that the simpler and more old timey I keep the airplane, the more I enjoy that kind of flying; hard to explain. I don't think I would go spend a lot of money for a card compass without testing one first. I built my plane with good equipment, but scrounged around enough that I don't have very much money in to it Again, these are opinions. Doug Bryant Wichita Ks ________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 12:15:23 -0700

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat May 19, 2001 7:00 pm

Original Posted By: Isablcorky(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compassesEd,I've put vertical card compasses in other planes I've owned . They don't have any real advantage over the standard mag compass and are subject to the same errors. I'll stick with the plain old whiskey compass. Tom Travis________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat May 19, 2001 7:43 pm

Original Posted By: "Rodger & Betty Childs"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compassesPieters, I've seen references of whiskey compasses. Would someone please explain to this ole out of pocket pilot just what that is. Corky in La where we have and consume lots of it.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat May 19, 2001 8:50 pm

Original Posted By: Isablcorky(at)aol.com
Corky wrote: Pieters, I've seen references of whiskey compasses. Would someone please explain to this ole out of pocket pilot just what that is. Corky in La where we have and consume lots of it. Corky,It's the old magnetic compass you've see a hundred times. And it is really filled with kerosene or even alcohol, hense the term "whiskey compass".They're not so bad, just a few quirks, and even work....somewhat. EvenLindberg had one in his plane. Of course he also had a state of the art earth induction compass too.RodgerPiet in progress...which has a "whiskey compass" in the instrument panel.________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat May 19, 2001 9:15 pm

Original Posted By: Larry Neal
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compassesRodger,Reason for my interest is I need some juice in my compass. Contacted supply company for some compass and was told it is no longer mfg'd. He suggested kerosene which I didn't have but I've plenty of Old Charter 86 pr, Wild Turkey 101pr, or even "down on the Bayou" 190 pr. My compass seems to be about half full. Please advise with filling instructions.Corky in La by the still.________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 21:44:19 -0500

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sat May 19, 2001 10:01 pm

Original Posted By:
Buy some clear lamp oil! DO NOT use alcohol, Whiskey Compass is a misnomer!Cy Galley, TC - Chair, Emergency Aircraft Repair, Oshkosh----- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sun May 20, 2001 12:26 am

Original Posted By:
The old timers by me reccommend lighter fluid. Comes in the nifty squeezebottle at your local Wa Wa.walt---------------------------------------------------------- Original Message -----

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sun May 20, 2001 10:08 am

Original Posted By: "Rodger & Betty Childs"
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Vertical card compassesIn a message dated 05/19/2001 7:45:04 PM Central Daylight Time, Isablcorky(at)aol.com writes:>Alky, Corky, Alky________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Sun May 20, 2001 10:36 pm

Original Posted By: "Cy Galley"
Corky wrote:"My compass seems to be about half full. Please advise with filling instructions.Corky in La by the still."Corky, the filling drill goes like this; In a container larger enough to put both your handsand the compass, fill deep enough with appropriateliquid to cover the compass.There should be a cap screw on the compass whichwill allow the compass to be filled, remove the capscrew and pour out all the old liquid. There shouldbe a seal on the cap and this should be replaced.Submerge the compass in the appropriate liquid andtwist and turn to get all the air out. Keeping the compass under the liquid, replace the cap screw andtighten sequrelyRemove the compass and dry off. Dispose of the remaining liquid as is fitting.One thing to keep in mind is that the replacement liquidshould be clear so that would rule out any amber liquidof what ever proof. If the 190 proof liquid is clear itwould work and provide a good story to go withyour "whiskey compass".RodgerPiet in progress________________________________________________________________________________

matronics · Post by **matronics** » Mon May 21, 2001 7:02 am

Original Posted By: "Rodger & Betty Childs"
NEVER USE ALCOHOL.If your compass is only half full then there is a leak. My best bet saysyou had better replace the diaphragm. Be careful of the screws. They aresoft brass so don't over tighten them. The refill procedure below worksvery well except that you will have fluid running out of the compensationchamber for a while making it difficult to check for leaks. Unless thefront glass is leaking, don't mess with it. Use a Q-tip to clean from theback while you are replacing the diaphragm.Cy Galley, TC - Chair, Emergency Aircraft Repair, Oshkosh----- Original Message -----