I think the TruTrak ADI is a fine instrument and in limited use I found that it is easy to fly normal IFR with it. It is easier to fly with than a turn coordinator and it shows more information. It must be pointed out, however, that it does not have a DG (Directional Gyro). It does show GPS ground track which is not what ATC uses for vectors at present. They use headings.For those who have gone before, for a simple VFR panel, is the TruTrak ADI a suitable substitute for a standard DC Turn Coordinator. Noting it also has a DG. I'm wondering how reliable that feature is also...
Thanks to all
Ron
9A Panel
A turn coordinator displays rate of turn. The ADI will show bank angle.
Hmmm - the TruTrak info says 'Bank Angle is instantaneous gyro data', and when I powered mine up in my hand it showed bank, not yaw.Not true, I'm afraid. The ADI display looks like bank angle, but the instrument is detecting yaw, not bank.
Also, the exact orientation of the gyro is important (that's the design difference between a T&B and a TC). Since our RV panels are tilted, I'm not surprised it would react a bit in yaw just 'cause of that.Does it do both? It does detect yaw because taxiing on the ground and making turns will show a roll indication when there is no roll happening, only yaw. I read something from Trutrack that it happens because the electronic gyro is not the same as the standard vaccum gyro in its operation and response.
Guys,
It's got nothing to do with panel tilt, the Trutrak ADI is NOT an attitude indicator. It's a cool instrument, but it detects rate of turn and displays it as bank angle. It also combines pitching rate and vertical speed and displays it as pitch angle.
I called and asked Trutrak about this again. According to Trutrak, the ADI shows bank angle. Again, according to them, if you hold the unit in your hand and roll it back and forth, the background will rotate, attempting to stay level with the floor. Again, according to Turtrak, their Pictorial T&B instrument is different, it shows rate of turn.
Again, this is what they said today. I hope to answer this for myself this weekend.
Tom
I'd like to slightly ammend my previous post. I just went out to the garage and checked this out first hand. Here's what it does: As you roll the instrument left, it displays a left bank. However, if you stop rolling and leave it in a banked position, the display will roll back to wings level. Additionally, if you yaw to the left, it will indicate a left bank, but only while you are actually turning. As soon as you stop moving, the display returns to wings level. In fact, you can lay this thing on its side and, after initially showing a bank, it will move back to a wings level display. Results are similar for pitch. Finally, I found that if I roll it slowly and smoothly, I can get the display to remain wings level the whole time.
In the air, this unit has proven itself to work just fine.
Trutrak along with many other companies do not tell you exactly what the instrument does or how it does it. As others have said it is not an attitude indicator and is not advertised as such. It does not show pitch and probably doesn't show actual bank angle, and certainly doesn't show it past certain limits.I installed my Trutrak ADI today. As Steve has said, the unit does not display bank angle. When the unit is tipped, it shows bank angle for a couple of seconds but then returns to a level display. This is a direct contradiction to what the tech support people at Trutrak said would happen. From their website, "Bank angle is instantaneous gyro data."...
Yes, I think so, but remember that the ADI has a ball too, and that will indicate a slip. I will go out and confirm this with our ADI pilot this week and report back.So if you're in a slip, the airplane is banked but no turn is taking place so the ADI will indicate wings level?
I started feeling uncertain about this statement I made so went to the Trutrak site and downloaded the manual (I am not an owner). They do refer to the instrument as an artificial horizon there and I would quibble with that.Trutrak along with many other companies do not tell you exactly what the instrument does or how it does it. As others have said it is not an attitude indicator and is not advertised as such...
That's exactly right. However, there is a ball at the bottom of the instrument that would tell you the truth.