Who makes C172 radio stack?

[tomtom_91]

Hey All,

Does anyone know the name of the company who makes the radio stack as shown in this picture - The person is me (no abuse

Flickr Photo Download: DSC_0150

Thanks

Tom

[jxc]

I must say I do find it safer looking out the front window when taxying

[ShyTorque]

Lookout while taxying, eh, jxc?

0/10 for lookout. The engine isn't even running...

[Big Pistons Forever]

It is a King Radio Inc "Silver Crown" stack

From top down

KMA 24 audio panel
KY 197 COM
KN53 Nav
KNS80 Nav/GS/DME/RNAV
KR 87 ADF

[IO540]

It looks like ancient King (later Bendix-King, later Honeywell) stuff. But I am not sure.

Why do you ask? It isn't worth anything.

[tomtom_91]

haha you guys are not the first to make the comment of looking behind when taxing etc. I wanted to try and find the user guide of its operation I did my first hour on that a/c on Friday (last) so yah hoping to get a foot up :d

Tom

[IO540]

You can find a lot of the manuals on the web. If you can't drop me an email and I can email you some. I've got a big collection.

[tomtom_91]

Awsome! Have pmed you!

[SNS3Guppy]

Most of the Bendix-King (Honeywell) pilot guides and supplements are order items, for which the company charges. However, your aircraft flight manual should have the supplement for each item of installed equipment. Start there as your resource.

That radio stack is functional. Not ancient.

For the KNS 80:
https://www.bendixking.com/servlet/c...307-0004_4.pdf

You may be able to research other publications here:
https://www.bendixking.com/PilotGuides?noheader=true

Before you go purchasing any supplements or guides, I'd certainly see what's available in the aircraft flight manual in the airplane you're flying. It's supposed to all be there.

[n5296s]

Most of that kit just needs a couple of minutes of explanation. For sure I've never read (or even seen) a manual for any of it, although I'd happily fly behind any of it.

There's one exception: the KNS80. This is a phenomenally complex device which is capable of all sorts of clever things, should you happen to be one of the three people on the planet who can work it. I did read a manual for it once, out of curiosity, but since the manual belonged to the KNS80 that was removed from my plane before I bought it, it was without any real practical use. It's a bit like reading the Excel manual from cover to cover - at the end you're left slack-jawed and dazed. Luckily, the only thing anyone actually uses them for is DME, which is pretty straightforward - and again can be learned with a couple of minutes of explanation.

So get your instructor to sit in the plane with you and run through it all. It's easy.

n5296s

[tomtom_91]

Ill have a chat to my instructor ! Manuals sound like they would make it more complicated to use then it achually is!

Tom

[S-Works]

There's one exception: the KNS80. This is a phenomenally complex device which is capable of all sorts of clever things, should you happen to be one of the three people on the planet who can work it.

LOL, that's a bit unfair to the old KNS. They are actually a great bit of kit and in the days before GPS they were the bees knees in radio Nav. You can create virtual waypoints by offsetting a VOR using a DME/RAD. A good installation at airways height can give you over 100 miles of coverage. We still have them in some of the Dorniers and they actually work. I have a .pdf version of the manual if anyone wants a copy.

Not to say that I would give me GPS up for them but if fitted and working they can be a handy tool!

[IO540]

The KNS80 is obsolete.

The major drawback is that it requires you to be within reception of the real VOR/DME which can be pretty limited at UK GA levels. Also France does not have DMEs in most of its VORs. For RNAV, a GPS is the only way to go.

[S-Works]

The KNS80 is obsolete.

Only in your opinion!

If it is fitted and working then no harm in learning to use it and making use of it. Apart from the RNAV function it is also a GS/LOC and pretty handy to know how to use if flying an approach.

I kow you are obsessed with GPS and think that everyone should rip all the old stuff out and replace it with the bells and whistles but for guys like Tomtom renting aircraft that is not an option and with a little effort he can add another tool to his toolbox.

Not saying he should not go out and buy himself a bloody good GPS but do try to be a little more open minded please Peter.

[Cusco]

We have the NS80 in our a/c which is the Narco equivalent and IMHO is a darn sight easier to use than the KNS 80 I'm using in a training a/c right now.

For starters the NS80 has 8 waypoints while the KNS only has four.

We still keep our airstrip coordinates in waypoint 8 all the time: Was very useful pre-GPS to find the strip in dodgy vis (weather or into setting sun before we got a new windscreen installed )

Worked well off CLN right down to about 800ft.

Cusco

[A and C]

Standby for the Bose-X vs IO540 knife fight !

[S-Works]

Standby for the Bose-X vs IO540 knife fight !

Nah! I have said my piece. I just tried to bring a bit of balance rather than the often blinkered GPS is the only tool bias that we often see. Peter is entitled to his opinion, I have given mine as a counter balance to it.

If he chooses to come back and throw personal stones as often happens then it is his call. Personally I am off to work in a minute flying in Spain again and a ferry flight for the next few days so don't have the time or inclination.

But thanks for the thought!!

[IO540]

Standby for the Bose-X vs IO540 knife fight !

It's OK; I couldn't care less nowadays unless Mr "IT Director and Commercial Pilot" who "flew to the Channel Islands 300 times in 2 years" (in a C172) attacks me personally

My comments on the KNS80 stand. It works as a DME of course, and is worth using for that purpose if already fitted. But as I said its usefulness for its intended purpose (as an RNAV device which works by synthesising a virtual VOR/DME based on an offset from a real one) in the UK GA low level flying context, is very limited. It is also not FM Immune (unless antenna filters are installed) which means it cannot be used to fly a VOR/LOC instrument approach in most cases.

tomtom_91 - I have emailed you what I have. Hope your mailbox is big enough

[Cusco]

Of course when the NS 80 is not R-NAVing it powers the OBS/VOR 1

Ours is FM Immune and even when not RNAVing it provides 8 handy preset VOR (+ or - DME) frequencies.

Don't write the RNAV off just yet : I always fire it up alongside the GPS when I'm flying.

Cusco.

[S-Works]

See what I mean AandC not a bad word said against him and he comes out with the attacks. My kids were better behaved as toddlers.