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Your Compass mounting experiences

NYTOM

NYTOM

Well Known Member
Looking for input on mounting a whiskey compass on a slider. Has anyone found it impossible with the steel rollbar and center brace causing interference? :eek:
I'm getting directional info from two other electronic sources but just like the idea of having a old school compass available. ;) Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?:rolleyes:
 
Sirs Compass

I bought the SIRS compass and roll bar brace mount from Vans. I've grown to like it even though I initially preferred the look of Airpath. Was unable to find or make a good mount for the Airpath.

Not flying yet so this doesn't help you much. But my roll bar brace from Vans is non-magnetic stainless steel.
 
Are you talking about interferance from the roll bar? Im not at that point in the build yet, but I'm pretty sure you have to degauss the roll bar.
 
I tried to degausse the roll bar but was unsuccessful. I eventually found an acceptable location in the lower middle panel as I had to avoid the welds at the sides and the center top where the brace attaches. I rarely use the compass and rely on the EFIS's digital magnetometer located out in the wing tip.

Bevan
 
I've the SIRS compass mounted on the roll bar brace. Heads up - if you use a tablet app for nav, the tablet's battery will cause the compass to swing a few degrees, unless the tablet is located to the far sides of the cabin or on your thigh, kneeboard style.
 
Thanks for all the help. I was afraid that was going to be the case. Probably never use it anyway. Guess I'll save the weight.:)
 
-6 slider SIRS

I moved a vertical card compass to several different locations in the panel without finding a spot where it worked to my satisfaction. SIRS on the roll bar brace works great.
 
N941WR said:
I didn't bother with a compass on my plane because one is included in the EFIS.
Click to expand...

I'm with Bill, two effis screens, 1 or 2 cell phones, and a handheld compass in the side pocket for emergency that I have not used yet is enough for me!
 
N941WR said:
I didn't bother with a compass on my plane because one is included in the EFIS.
Click to expand...

I had the local FAA FSDO office sign off my RV-10 four years ago. The inspector required a TSO compass in the plane - even though I had two independent EFIS ADHARS units.

No - this is not a requirement that I could find, but such was the cost of getting the plane signed off. Perhaps old thought such as this is working its way out of the FAA.

Carl
 
Carl Froehlich said:
I had the local FAA FSDO office sign off my RV-10 four years ago. The inspector required a TSO compass in the plane - even though I had two independent EFIS ADHARS units.

No - this is not a requirement that I could find, but such was the cost of getting the plane signed off. Perhaps old thought such as this is working its way out of the FAA.

Carl
Click to expand...

Aside from the argument of whether FAR91 requires a compass be installed in experimental aircraft, if we say that it does, FAR91 states that the aircraft must have a magnetic heading indicator (meaning an indicator that drives its heading info from the earths magnetic field). The magnetic heading indication in all (the ones I am familiar with anyway) modern EFIS meet that requirement.

Dealing with an inspector that invokes his own ideas of what is right versus what the requirements actually are is a common problem......
 
Carl Froehlich said:
I had the local FAA FSDO office sign off my RV-10 four years ago. The inspector required a TSO compass in the plane - even though I had two independent EFIS ADHARS units.

No - this is not a requirement that I could find, but such was the cost of getting the plane signed off. Perhaps old thought such as this is working its way out of the FAA.

Carl
Click to expand...

And where did he get the idea that it needed to have a TSO?
 
Mine works!

I've mounted my vertical card compass in two locations in the panel and it has worked great in both locations. In the current location it does swing when I turn the key to start but then goes right back to where it should be. I actually made a temp panel out of plexiglass to test it to insure that it would work properly in that location before cutting the real panel.

IMG_00355.jpg
 
Carl Froehlich said:
I had the local FAA FSDO office sign off my RV-10 four years ago. The inspector required a TSO compass in the plane - even though I had two independent EFIS ADHARS units.

No - this is not a requirement that I could find, but such was the cost of getting the plane signed off. Perhaps old thought such as this is working its way out of the FAA.

Carl
Click to expand...

You just reminded me, I velcroed a compass to my glair shield for the FSDO inspection and removed it as soon as the inspector left. He never said it was required and I never asked.

Doug Reeves now has that compass, which was only used once.
 
Non-ferrous roll bar brace.

Back to my original question someone here or in a search thread stated his roll bar brace was made of stainless steel.:eek: Wow, that would kind of solve the problem as long as you mount it low away from the bar. Low and behold I just checked mine and its non-magnetic also. I'm thinking there all non-magnetic. ;) The base mounting plate is ferrous but the tube itself is something else. Probably a higher grade stainless since lower grades are magnetic. I'm suprised only one person seemed to be was aware of that. :D As far as the inspection goes I've heard stories of inspectors being wrong about the regulations but also heard that it's not wise to argue with them since they can really ruin your day if they want.:(
 
I have an in-panel whiskey compas. In the beginning, it was unusable because there was just too many things happening around it and I couldn't isolate what it was. Eventually, I wrapped the top side of autopilot the autopilot with nickel sheet metal. With a little adjusting, I get a perfect bead on all four corners of the readings.

Nickel sheet metal. Works great!
 
NYTOM said:
The base mounting plate is ferrous but the tube itself is something else.(
Click to expand...
I think it is luck of the draw.
6 slider vertical brace on mine was so magnetic the SIRS compass only moved 30 degrees either side of N!

Removed compass. Removed brace from airframe. Bought an engineering shop degausser (as used for things that have been on a magnetc chuck or bed) and used it on the brace. Fixed the problem.

Since used the degausser on the trim springs in a Glasair. The owner was perplexed that his plastic fantastic airplane had a magnetic field that was upsetting his Garmin magnetometer!
 
not just an interference issue

NYTOM said:
.... I'm surprised only one person seemed to be aware of that. :D t.:(
Click to expand...

perhaps just the way the title was phrased? anyway, my brace is stainless, has the compass, which can be swung to a vague approximation of the 4 cardinal bearings....but the bigger thing is the 17 times I've hit the thing with my head while doing annuals, loading things in the cabin etc....not to mention it will probably kill you in a real crash!
go for a panel mount, isolate the huge components that make it swing merrily in all directions, and then you likely will never look at it again, except for the annual swing you pretend to do for 4 hours out on the compass rose! :eek:
 
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