Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Loren Warner on December 24, 2020 at 5:31pm

I'm not sure what's currently being put out on the 90, but on our 130, the idea is to only keep the alternator off during initial start, to allow for an easier start, and then turn it back on within a few seconds.  Don't wait to taxi to turn the alternator back on as you'll want to ensure the battery(s) charging right away.  

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Permalink Reply by Brad Payne on December 24, 2020 at 5:31pm

I didnt leave the alternator off at first and I had a hard time staring and running rough for a few minuites when it's cold.  Jan suggested leaving the Alternator off till it warms up and it helps quite a bit.

I turn on the avionics master after start and then once I get to the run up area, turn off Avionics Master, Enable Alternator, and turn Avionics Master back on.  It's worth it to me just to make sure I dont damage the $5k of avionics.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Ryan on December 24, 2020 at 6:45pm

I'm confused. Why is it necessary to turn the alternator off when starting the Viking engine?

Permalink Reply by Phil Cook on December 25, 2020 at 9:21am

Replying to Ken Ryan - having the alternator off is a best practice prior to and when starting ALL aircraft, whether they be Lycoming, Continental, Rotax, or Viking powered. The alternator draws quite a bit of current which does nothing but drains the battery prior to start and detracts from the power available to start the engine, plus as the engine starts the alternator may try to come online and generate power even before the engine starts, causing a greater load, and sometimes causing spikes. I own a flight school and push the practice of starting the engines with the alternator off.

Permalink Reply by Loren Warner on May 23, 2019 at 2:41pm

Jan, I believe our Viking 130 runs to smooth for a vibration activated device to work.  

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Permalink Reply by Samuel Cardona on May 22, 2019 at 8:57pm

I am using Advance ZD multi function 10 in 1 gauge.

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Permalink Reply by Brad Payne on May 22, 2019 at 9:44pm

That looks REALLY similar to Viking View!

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Permalink Reply by Samuel Cardona on May 22, 2019 at 10:02pm

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Permalink Reply by John Austin on May 23, 2019 at 12:20pm

When I was building my STOL 750, I originally planned a simple "steam gauge" panel as it is a simple airplane and I was concerned about "head-down time" studying the rather busy graphic EFIS/EMS displays while flying "low and slow!"  However, when it got time to start ordering instruments, I realized that EFIS's and EMS's do much more for just a little more $$$ than buying new traditional instruments and gauges, and virtually all either flash prominent warnings or trigger a red "idiot light"  when a value is abnormal/outside of a set range.  So actually, one could keep their head and eyes out of the cockpit and a quick occasional glance at the panel will reassure you everything is OK.

I initially used a GRT EIS6000 to monitor my Jab 3300 and a MGL XTreme mini-EFIS for a flight display.  The GRT worked great but presented all the information as numeric digits (it did graph CHT's/EGT's but it was tiny, monochromatic, and near-useless when trying to display 6 cylinders!).  It did, however, trigger a red separately-mounted caution light if a value was abnormal and brought up the appropriate page automatically.

However, the GRT looked so dated alongside my EFIS that I eventually switched to a matching MGL XTreme EMS - color-coded bar graphs and digital read-outs and of course flashed prominent red cautions for abnormal values.  I've flown with this combo for 100's of hours and have been very pleased.  The MGL units tend to be very flexible and adaptable and sometimes can be a PITA to set up, but once set up, they seem to be "bulletproof" as far as reliable performance and durability.

Alternative displays that display numeric-only may take the brain a few moments to see and interpret, but if they flash when values are abnormal, that's probably good enough as the flashing or color change will direct you to what's important.  However, I like to have color-coded graphic displays such as bar graphs as a quick glance tells you not only if values are normal or not, but relatively where the values are in the normal range.  This is probably not as important when you only have to monitor one coolant temperature or pressure, etc., but very important for the 6 cylinder air-cooled engine where one commonly is looking at a spread of 6 EGT's and 6 CHT's!

John

N750A

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Permalink Reply by Patrick Hoyt on May 23, 2019 at 1:50pm

I use the Viking View.  Also have the Viking Data Logger.  Using the Viking 130 engine.

The Hobbs is on it's own switch.  I include turning it on/off as part of my startup/shutdown checklists.

Patrick Hoyt

N63PZ

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Fay on May 24, 2019 at 11:27am

I have a Dynon HDX and have a EMS module that I needed for inputs for the flaps and trim and such anyway, so I used it to do all the engine and fuel monitoring as well. 

If I was using steam gauges I would have used the Viking view.

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Permalink Reply by Brad Payne on May 24, 2019 at 8:54pm

Thanks everyone for your replies.  I decided to go with the Viking View.  The price was right and it's plug in and go.

Thanks,

Brad

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