---------------------------------------------------------- AeroElectric-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Fri 02/04/05: 7 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 09:16 AM - Those Chinese Instruments (Richard Dudley) 2. 09:59 AM - Re: Those Chinese Instruments (AI Nut) 3. 12:02 PM - Re: Those Chinese Instruments (Bob) 4. 12:59 PM - Horizon question (Gilles Thesee) 5. 02:59 PM - Re: Those Chinese Instruments (Ed Anderson) 6. 04:53 PM - Re: Those Chinese Instruments (rd2@evenlink.com) 7. 06:04 PM - Re: Re: Those Chinese Instruments (Ed Anderson) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 09:16:52 AM PST US From: Richard Dudley Subject: AeroElectric-List: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Richard Dudley FWIW There has been a recent thead on this list concerning instruments manufactured outside the USA. My recent experience might be of interest to some list followers. In preparation for FAA inspection of my RV-6A and IFR certification, I had my altimeter-encoder-transponder combination checked at the local avionics repair station. I purchased the altimeter from Van's and is part number;BG-3B. It carries the brand name of Falcon Gauge,Wultrad, Inc. It is manufactured in China. The testing procedure takes the altimeter to pressure altitudes from -1000 feet to 20000 feet at incriments of 500 feet through 2000 feet, 1000 feet through 4000 feet and 2000 feet through 20000 feet and notes the error at each altitude. The results were zero error through 4000 feet and well within the required tolerances through 20000 feet. The technician who conducted tests commented that he tests about two altimeters every day. He said that this altimeter performed at least as well as the name brands that he tests. Regards, Richard Dudley -6A preparing for final inspection ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 09:59:41 AM PST US From: AI Nut Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: AI Nut But for how long? And what are indications of increasing inaccuracies, if there is a gradual degradation of the units? Richard Dudley wrote: >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Richard Dudley > >FWIW > >There has been a recent thead on this list concerning instruments >manufactured outside the USA. My recent experience might be of interest >to some list followers. > >In preparation for FAA inspection of my RV-6A and IFR certification, I >had my altimeter-encoder-transponder combination checked at the local >avionics repair station. I purchased the altimeter from Van's and is >part number;BG-3B. It carries the brand name of Falcon Gauge,Wultrad, >Inc. It is manufactured in China. > >The testing procedure takes the altimeter to pressure altitudes from >-1000 feet to 20000 feet at incriments of 500 feet through 2000 feet, >1000 feet through 4000 feet and 2000 feet through 20000 feet and notes >the error at each altitude. The results were zero error through 4000 >feet and well within the required tolerances through 20000 feet. > >The technician who conducted tests commented that he tests about two >altimeters every day. He said that this altimeter performed at least as >well as the name brands that he tests. > >Regards, > >Richard Dudley >-6A preparing for final inspection > > >. > > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 12:02:14 PM PST US From: Bob Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Bob That sound like a question that could be applied to any item . . . TSO'd or NOT! IMHO . . . if it's good today, under "normal" service it will probably be good tomorrow?! Regards, Bob On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 11:57:33 -0600, AI Nut wrote: > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: AI Nut > > But for how long? And what are indications of increasing inaccuracies, > if there is a gradual degradation of the units? > > > Richard Dudley wrote: > > >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Richard Dudley > > > >FWIW > > > >There has been a recent thead on this list concerning instruments > >manufactured outside the USA. My recent experience might be of interest > >to some list followers. > > > >In preparation for FAA inspection of my RV-6A and IFR certification, I > >had my altimeter-encoder-transponder combination checked at the local > >avionics repair station. I purchased the altimeter from Van's and is > >part number;BG-3B. It carries the brand name of Falcon Gauge,Wultrad, > >Inc. It is manufactured in China. > > > >The testing procedure takes the altimeter to pressure altitudes from > >-1000 feet to 20000 feet at incriments of 500 feet through 2000 feet, > >1000 feet through 4000 feet and 2000 feet through 20000 feet and notes > >the error at each altitude. The results were zero error through 4000 > >feet and well within the required tolerances through 20000 feet. > > > >The technician who conducted tests commented that he tests about two > >altimeters every day. He said that this altimeter performed at least as > >well as the name brands that he tests. > > > >Regards, > > > >Richard Dudley > >-6A preparing for final inspection > > > > > >. > > > > > > > > > -- Thanks, Bob ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 12:59:20 PM PST US From: Gilles Thesee Subject: AeroElectric-List: Horizon question --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Gilles Thesee Hi Bob and all, This is a question about an AIM electric AI. The Horizon runs as soon as the master is ON. A buddy professional pilot told us that we should cage the gyro before starting the engine. This is supposed to prevent damage to the gyro due to the rapid erection on power up. Is that facts or ..? What is your opinion ? Thanks, Gilles Thesee Grenoble, France MCR 4S Fight tests in progress ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 02:59:15 PM PST US From: "Ed Anderson" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Ed Anderson" Personal experience - purchased a Chinese AI and DG, knock-off look-alike of RC Allen. AI never erected past 45 deg first time I ever fired it up - would cost $250 to repair (which was just a little less than what I paid for it). Ditched it and got a real RC Allen and have 260 trouble free hours. The Chinese DG has not actually failed - but it clearly is not up to the standards we are used to. Just about useless - would certainly never rely on it. There may be some good Chinese instruments but these were not them. Ed Anderson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Those Chinese Instruments > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Bob > > That sound like a question that could be applied to any item . . . > TSO'd or NOT! > > IMHO . . . if it's good today, under "normal" service it will probably > be good tomorrow?! > > Regards, > Bob > > > On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 11:57:33 -0600, AI Nut wrote: > > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: AI Nut > > > > But for how long? And what are indications of increasing inaccuracies, > > if there is a gradual degradation of the units? > > > > > > Richard Dudley wrote: > > > > >--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Richard Dudley > > > > > >FWIW > > > > > >There has been a recent thead on this list concerning instruments > > >manufactured outside the USA. My recent experience might be of interest > > >to some list followers. > > > > > >In preparation for FAA inspection of my RV-6A and IFR certification, I > > >had my altimeter-encoder-transponder combination checked at the local > > >avionics repair station. I purchased the altimeter from Van's and is > > >part number;BG-3B. It carries the brand name of Falcon Gauge,Wultrad, > > >Inc. It is manufactured in China. > > > > > >The testing procedure takes the altimeter to pressure altitudes from > > >-1000 feet to 20000 feet at incriments of 500 feet through 2000 feet, > > >1000 feet through 4000 feet and 2000 feet through 20000 feet and notes > > >the error at each altitude. The results were zero error through 4000 > > >feet and well within the required tolerances through 20000 feet. > > > > > >The technician who conducted tests commented that he tests about two > > >altimeters every day. He said that this altimeter performed at least as > > >well as the name brands that he tests. > > > > > >Regards, > > > > > >Richard Dudley > > >-6A preparing for final inspection > > > > > > > > >. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Thanks, > Bob > > ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 04:53:34 PM PST US From: rd2@evenlink.com Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: rd2@evenlink.com Hi Ed, I was wondering - how much does the el. (12V) RC Allen AI draw? Rumen _____________________Original message __________________________ (received from Ed Anderson; Date: 05:57 PM 2/4/2005 -0500) --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Ed Anderson" Personal experience - purchased a Chinese AI and DG, knock-off look-alike of RC Allen. AI never erected past 45 deg first time I ever fired it up - would cost $250 to repair (which was just a little less than what I paid for it). Ditched it and got a real RC Allen and have 260 trouble free hours. The Chinese DG has not actually failed - but it clearly is not up to the standards we are used to. Just about useless - would certainly never rely on it. There may be some good Chinese instruments but these were not them. Ed Anderson ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 06:04:00 PM PST US From: "Ed Anderson" Subject: Re: AeroElectric-List: Re: Those Chinese Instruments --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Ed Anderson" Sorry, Rumen, I jumped in the thread without realizing it was about Chinese Electric gyros - this was vacuum driven. Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: Subject: AeroElectric-List: Re: Those Chinese Instruments > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: rd2@evenlink.com > > Hi Ed, > I was wondering - how much does the el. (12V) RC Allen AI draw? > Rumen > > _____________________Original message __________________________ > (received from Ed Anderson; Date: 05:57 PM 2/4/2005 > -0500) > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "Ed Anderson" > > > Personal experience - purchased a Chinese AI and DG, knock-off look-alike of > RC Allen. AI never erected past 45 deg first time I ever fired it up - > would cost $250 to repair (which was just a little less than what I paid for > it). Ditched it and got a real RC Allen and have 260 trouble free hours. > The Chinese DG has not actually failed - but it clearly is not up to the > standards we are used to. Just about useless - would certainly never rely on > it. There may be some good Chinese instruments but these were not them. > > > Ed Anderson > >