Original Posted By: Gary Gower
Well, I own one of them new-fangled GPSMap 196s and the thought did not escape me that it could be used for some pseudo-instrument maneuvers if the need arose. I figure it can also be used by the front-seater (instructor) for checking out somebody in the rear cockpit (41CC has no instruments in the front cockpit). However, that said- it does have its limitations and one big one is that the "airspeed indicator" in the GPS's representation of a 6-pack instrument panel is not reading airspeed... it's reading groundspeed. You can fly downwind in a moderate breeze and stall the airplane and it will still show a "safe" airspeed. In short- NOT what you want to be looking at in cruddy conditions. But for the "HSI", "DG", and turn/bank indications it could be useful. That life-saving 180 degree turn out of a sudden VFR flight into a fog bank could be done using that little GPS if a guy kept his cool.Now for another problem. If you're over 50, like me, try holding that little instrument panel out at arm's length in the slipstream so you can read it, or reach for your reading glasses so you can make out the numbers. ;o)Thanks to one of you guys (or all; it doesn't matter) Ann at The Gyro House thinks she can get a filter off one of their core units for me. They don't have any new ones, but that's fine because I'm flying an airplane that's supposed to be 75 years old anyway!Oscar ZunigaSan Antonio, TXmailto: taildrags(at)hotmail.comwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net________________________________________________________________________________Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 14:57:06 -0800 (PST)