Student Etiquette-Getting Own Altimeter

[JohnMitchell 14]

NWFlyer

Find and buy a good used altimeter - even if you switch later, you'll always appreciate having it.

Gotta put in a plug for my home DZ.

All AFF graduates at Kapowsin Air Sports are given a free, new Alti-3 altimeter, their choice of color.

[Krip 2]

JohnMitchell

***
Failure modes on digital devices are not that predictable, so careful with your assumptions.

I had a Neptune reset to zero while doing a go around at 13K one day.

Hi John

I still have my original altimeter 2 that we bought around 1969. It still works the last time I checked. 2010

The X wife bought me the newer more compact model for a gift around 1987 ish one time a kapow east she dropped it from about 4 ft onto,the concrete floor in the hanger. It made a very distinct sound. Everyone that heard it knew exactly what happened.

The whole hanger went silent, and gave her "the look".

The X simply told them she bought it and could drop it if she wanted to

That was probably around 1988, never had a problem with it. It was still working in 2010.

I really don't care what kind of a altimeter someone buys. Digital or analog different strokes for different folks.

BTW there is a review of the two different types of altimeters on the home page with pictures and everything in case anyone want to take a look.

One Jump Wonder

[dragon2 0]

JohnMitchell

***
Failure modes on digital devices are not that predictable, so careful with your assumptions.

I had a Neptune reset to zero while doing a go around at 13K one day.

LOL yeah forgot about that failure mode. I was groundcrewing for a demo where the plane (C172 or similar) had to pass over Schiphol Airport at 1000 ft. Now the pilot did exactly that, meaning all 3 aboard had their neptunes reset to 0 right before doing a demo jump.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[JohnMitchell 14]

Krip

she dropped it from about 4 ft onto,the concrete floor in the hanger. It made a very distinct sound.

I've done the same thing, with the same results.

I tell FJC students that very fact when putting on or taking off their altimeters on the first jump.

[Di0 1]

wolfriverjoe

Digitals, though, fail with a dead screen, so you know it's dead.

Please, don't give out wrong information.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Di0

***

Digitals, though, fail with a dead screen, so you know it's dead.

Please, don't give out wrong information.

I was mistaken. My apologies.

I don't have a digital, and the only failure I've ever seen others have (and I've seen it a lot) is "Dead."

Others have made it pretty clear that there are numerous failure modes for digitals.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Krip 2]

Hi Joe

Don't worry be happy, the folks are going to buy whatever they want to anyway, regardless of what anyone tells them.

I've heard rumors that since digital watches came out some of the young ones can't even read a analog watch. Digital is all they know.

Resume with the debate. To bad DB COOPER has a head start.

R.I.P.

One Jump Wonder

[gunsmokex 1]

Our dropzone encourages us to purchase an altimeter and goggles as a student. You definitely shouldn't feel like you are stepping on anyones toes by buying your own alti.

Kawisixer's quote is exactly how my brain thinks, its been trained that way since I learned how to read a clock and then later as he says in a tachometer. If I get a mal I don't want to have to worry about glancing over at a digital alti for a brief milisecond and then have to worry on if I misread a number or not ex: 1800' vs 1000' or whatever anyway it puts my mind at ease and its one less thing to have to worry about. There is no mistaking the needle pointing to a number even if I glance at it for a milisecond, I guess I just want less shit to worry about as a student.

I went a step further though and went with a black faced Viplo with a yellow housing. I know thats kind of picky but there is a reason yellow and black is used in constuction zones. Its easier to see. In fact I find it kind of odd that more black faced analog altis aren't out there. Viplo was the only maker I found with them so far.

kawisixer01

I think what the analog fans are trying to portray is the "peripheral" reading advantages. In a malfunction that has my hands working on twisted lines for example I can see the needle position in my peripheral without having to actually read the numbers to get a relatively accurate read on my altitude without having to think about numbers. It is the same reason drag racing cars still use a big ol' analog tachometer, which much like analog altis, is colored yellow and red in the "bad zones". Drag tachs are typically mounted in the peripheral vision of the driver so that focus doesn't have to come off of the track, and it's a somewhat common practice to turn the gauge so that redline is when the needle is straight up and down. All of this is done so that its a rapid reading that really doesn't involve changing focus of your vision.