I decided to practice for an IPC since I now have a plane with gyros and I'm sick of cancelling cross-countries due to mild IFR conditions.
I installed a VAL Avionics INS-429 VOR/GS/MB receiver/display. It's a really nicely built unit that replaced the old Narco NAV-12 that crapped out the day after I bought the plane.
Anyway, I tuned the JVL VOR to follow V-177 and the CDI is slowly oscillating +/-5 degrees even when Foreflight shows me flying straight and centered on the airway!!!
I made sure I was above the MEA and I was only 15 miles from the VOR.
I tuned in the nearby RFD and PLL VORs and the CDI was nice and stable.
Anyone ever seen anything like this before? I used to fly IFR a lot back in the last century and never saw anything like this.
I read in an old FAA Instrument Flying Handbook that this could be caused by the engine turning at 2400 or 1800 rpm. Sounded goofy to me, but I tried different engine rpms and no change in behavior.
I wouldn't be surprised if the VOR transmitter is bad. Hardly anyone uses VORs for cross-country navigation anymore, and the VOR is only used as a primary navaid for a VOR-A into a nearby airport that also has a GPS overlay.
Take Care,
Ed
I installed a VAL Avionics INS-429 VOR/GS/MB receiver/display. It's a really nicely built unit that replaced the old Narco NAV-12 that crapped out the day after I bought the plane.
Anyway, I tuned the JVL VOR to follow V-177 and the CDI is slowly oscillating +/-5 degrees even when Foreflight shows me flying straight and centered on the airway!!!
I made sure I was above the MEA and I was only 15 miles from the VOR.
I tuned in the nearby RFD and PLL VORs and the CDI was nice and stable.
Anyone ever seen anything like this before? I used to fly IFR a lot back in the last century and never saw anything like this.
I read in an old FAA Instrument Flying Handbook that this could be caused by the engine turning at 2400 or 1800 rpm. Sounded goofy to me, but I tried different engine rpms and no change in behavior.
I wouldn't be surprised if the VOR transmitter is bad. Hardly anyone uses VORs for cross-country navigation anymore, and the VOR is only used as a primary navaid for a VOR-A into a nearby airport that also has a GPS overlay.
Take Care,
Ed
