Gyros's
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: North of South
Gyros's
Guys and Gals
I am about to start and IMC
and as such am hitting the books again.
One thing I have always struggled with and never understood is Gyros .They are my nemesis.
Does anyone have any links to graphic demonstrations of how these things work . I dont want an explanation I want to actually see a visual representation of them working , whether it be a cartoon or moving diagram . These things do my nut in
Told ya I was thick
I am about to start and IMC
and as such am hitting the books again.One thing I have always struggled with and never understood is Gyros .They are my nemesis.
Does anyone have any links to graphic demonstrations of how these things work . I dont want an explanation I want to actually see a visual representation of them working , whether it be a cartoon or moving diagram . These things do my nut in
Told ya I was thick
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Amsterdam
Go and borrow a power tool which has something serious spinning in it. A circular hand saw or an angle grinder or something. Turn it on, then try to move it through various axis. Very illustrative. (Safety first though.)
Just remember - a gyroscope is something that spins and thus resists movement. If you nevertheless force it to move, it will react with a predictable force in another direction. Depending on how you mount it (and thus limits movement in certain axis) you can use it for various purposes, three of which are typically present in an aircraft.
Just remember - a gyroscope is something that spins and thus resists movement. If you nevertheless force it to move, it will react with a predictable force in another direction. Depending on how you mount it (and thus limits movement in certain axis) you can use it for various purposes, three of which are typically present in an aircraft.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: North of South
Thanks for that but again I need a working diagram . I have read all the bumpf necessary buu just cant relate it to a gyro . Unfortunately a power tool doesnt have a aeroplane symbol on it etc etc
Joined: May 2005
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From: Aberdeen, UK
Presumably you've already looked at Wikipedia ?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyroscope
And theres http://www.gyroscopes.org/movies.asp which have some video files.
And theres http://www.gyroscopes.org/movies.asp which have some video files.
Joined: May 2005
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From: Aberdeen, UK
As I understand it (and I'll be rapidly corrected if I'm wrong) - think about a "toy" gyroscope.
The big metal disk big in the middle is in the same plane as the horizon, so if you're in the cockpit, you're looking towards the spinning bit at the thin edge.
(cue very crude picture)
Now, imagine that the horizon indicator on the AH is attached to the the spinning disk along the thin edge.
As the aircraft rolls left or right, the housing round the instrument will move but the spinning disk doesn't - it ALWAYS spins "flat" - so the horizon appears to tilt in line with the roll of the aircraft.
In reality the spinning disk inside is still level, but the aircraft has rolled around it, and as the instrument casing is attached to the aircraft (and the disk is spinning freely within it), it indicates the roll attitude.
Same for pitch in that the aircraft rotates around the spinning disk in the up/down sense.
Does that help?
The big metal disk big in the middle is in the same plane as the horizon, so if you're in the cockpit, you're looking towards the spinning bit at the thin edge.
(cue very crude picture)
Now, imagine that the horizon indicator on the AH is attached to the the spinning disk along the thin edge.
As the aircraft rolls left or right, the housing round the instrument will move but the spinning disk doesn't - it ALWAYS spins "flat" - so the horizon appears to tilt in line with the roll of the aircraft.
In reality the spinning disk inside is still level, but the aircraft has rolled around it, and as the instrument casing is attached to the aircraft (and the disk is spinning freely within it), it indicates the roll attitude.
Same for pitch in that the aircraft rotates around the spinning disk in the up/down sense.
Does that help?
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From: Amsterdam
Google also came up with www.howstuffworks.com/gyroscope.htm. Unfortunately site seems to be down but I remember it's a great site in general.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: North of South
Nope guys your really not getting just how much I dont get these things
I need to to see one working as it would be in an aircarft , dont worry Ill find another way , ill delete this thread when I find out how
Thanks anyway
I need to to see one working as it would be in an aircarft , dont worry Ill find another way , ill delete this thread when I find out how
Thanks anyway
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: where the north starts
Gyros
Folks on the other flying forum have said good things about this series of Royal Society Christmas lectures given by Prof Eric Laithwaite.
http://www.gyroscopes.org/1974lecture.asp
I don't know if they will explain what you want to know, but they are certainly very entertaining
EL was one of my tutors at Uni a couple of years before these were filmed, when he was working on magnetic levitation trains
http://www.gyroscopes.org/1974lecture.asp
I don't know if they will explain what you want to know, but they are certainly very entertaining
EL was one of my tutors at Uni a couple of years before these were filmed, when he was working on magnetic levitation trains
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Brighton. UK. (Via Liverpool).
Don't delete it Max, there will be other people in the same boat who could use the links here for future reference!
Have you tried going to an engineering place at your airfield and asking someone there if you can have a look at one?
I think that is what you need to do, it is pretty difficult to explain things like this online.
Have you tried going to an engineering place at your airfield and asking someone there if you can have a look at one?
I think that is what you need to do, it is pretty difficult to explain things like this online.
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Scotland
Here's a video
Here is a link to a full motion mpeg of a bicycle wheel used as a gyro mass. This is the howstuffworks like. It shows the effect very nicely
http://science.howstuffworks.com/gyroscope1.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/gyroscope1.htm
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: EuroGA.org
Is Eric Laithwaite still around? I went to a great lecture of his in 1975 and he looked about 60 then.
To be honest, very few engineers understand from first principles how gyro work. It's pretty damn complicated.
A pilot should not need to know this stuff. What he needs to know is the characteristics of his instruments and their limitations and failure modes. Anything else is a waste of time learning.
To be honest, very few engineers understand from first principles how gyro work. It's pretty damn complicated.
A pilot should not need to know this stuff. What he needs to know is the characteristics of his instruments and their limitations and failure modes. Anything else is a waste of time learning.
Fleet Manager
Joined: Aug 2006
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Ontario, Canada
Ask around and a maintenance or instrument shop will probably give some junk ones. They'd work well enough for what you want, particularly if you have some compressed air to blow into them. I've got some junk ones here if you want to pay the shipping from Canada!
When you get one apart, you'll be surprised how simple they are!
Pilot DAR
When you get one apart, you'll be surprised how simple they are!
Pilot DAR