HELP with info re heading indicator

[Andres Darvasi]

Today, coming back from McAllen, TX, my heading indicator failed, therefore no autopilot.
I am in Mexico, where I doubt that I could get a replacement in 24 hrs, and on Tuesday noon everybody quits to celebrate Christmas, and... On the 25 we start our Caribbean trip.

Question: the heading gyro installed is a sigmatek PN 1U262-003-14, is there any other gyro that will work with the Altimatic IIIB autopilot? If there is perhaps I could get one here even on loan for the trip.

Many thanks in advance for your advice

[N3322G]

Andres,

I posted this on another Comanche forum in hopes that someone here or there can help you out.

You never know, you might give Clifton a call and also try Sigmatek and Century first thing Monday morning.

[Andres Darvasi]

Thanks a lot Pat.

A technician here that has a lab thinks that there is a 90% chance that he can fix it, but the 10% is very worrisome!

I would like to have a plan B

[Kristin Winter]

I saw Pat's post on the Airworthy Comanche forum on Delhi. You need a 52D54 directional gyro. Castleberry Instruments in Austin, TX likely has an exchange unit. Another good vendor is Kelley Instruments in Wichita.

[Andres Darvasi]

Thank you Kristin, I will try them in the morning!

[N3322G]

Andres, 3 other responses from the other Forum.
From: fmarquis Dec-22 11:21 pm
To: N3322G unread (4 of 5)
583.4 in reply to 583.1
I do have a SVC unit on my shelf. I'm in Montreal. Franco dot marquis at gmail dot com. Five one four 946 seven nine six nine is my cell phone. I also have a friend leaving for MMPR in a few days if that can help. Francois

Options Reply



From: Daniel (Jacquot) Dec-22 11:37 pm
To: N3322G unread (5 of 5)
583.5 in reply to 583.1
I do have a Mitchell Edo-Aire 4000 C. Same part number 10262-003-14 Not for sale but will loan out if you can't find anything else.
Colorado Springs CO

Edited 12/23/2013 12:50 am by Daniel (Jacquot)

From: philiplane Dec-22 7:53 pm
To: N3322G (2 of 5)
583.2 in reply to 583.1
http://www.tghaviation.com/Sigma-Tek-Au ... 003-14.htm

The Gyro House should have one

[N3322G]

Please post how this gets resolved so I can post it on the other Forum.

[Andres Darvasi]

Thanks a lot Pat, these are great tips.

I will start working on them right now!

[Andres Darvasi]

The update is as follows: found a technician here in Mexico that works on these instruments, has the test equipment and the components, will work all night if necessary, and will reinstall it tomorrow morning so we can test fly it.
He was highly recommended by three different people.
I am praying very hard that it works.
My heart felt thanks to everybody that offered help, I will certainly keep their coordinates and hope to be able to reciprocate.
Tomorrow I will post an update after the test flight
Merry Christmas to everybody

[Andres Darvasi]

Yesterday we finished with the install at around 4 pm, visibility was very bad, less than two miles and even though I tried to test the overhauled gyro, the condition didn't allow for any kind of testing. The "test" flight lasted less than 15 minutes, most of which were spent looking how to get back to the airport.
This morning, wife and I took off at 8:55 and flew non stop to Cozumel (735 NM) in just under 5 hrs, and the gyro and autopilot worked flawlessly.
Well trained Mexican technician, willing to work all night, and proud to do a good job. Called him when I landed here to report how it went and he was so very happy.
Total cost, de install, overhaul and install, less than $500
Thanks to all that offered advice and help, especially to Pat Keefer that got some great answers from another forum
Hope you all had a great Christmas, I did!
Tomorrow morning, on to Cayman Brac

[N3322G]

So glad that all turned out well! Merry Christmas!

[JIMICS2452]

Outstanding Andres!! Enjoy your trip. I am curious as to the airport and conditions in Jacmel. It was pretty rough when I was last there in Feb 2010.

[Andres Darvasi]

Hello Jim, how do you mean rough: runway condition, security? really we have no idea.

We are hoping for the best, so far, I have been trying to obtain landing permits for the last 15 days without success, if it keeps on going this way, Haitian will have to without our tourist dollars!

[JIMICS2452]

The runway at Jacmel was very bumpy from use by Canadian C-130's during the relief effort. The city was partially trashed by the earthquake - 5,000 people in a tent city at the soccer field. I am curious what the conditions are now. As for a vacation of all the places on God's green earth, Haiti is very near the bottom of the list for me.

[Andres Darvasi]

Thank you Jim for the pirep, we are going there precisely to see and try to understand those people, more than a vacation is an anthropological visit. We have read quite a bit on the history of Haiti and would like to see it with our own eyes. If it is too bad, then we go on to DR!
Finally we got our landing permits yesterday!
I have started a new thread with trip reports