Timers

Yeti Niner Five

Yeti Niner Five

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Yeti Niner Five
Question for you instrument-rated types...what kind of timer do you use?

I'm about halfway through my instrument training and have decided I'd like a timer in the cockpit. The Arrow that I'm flying has a clock with a second hand, but I think I'd prefer a timer.

But I'd like to know what you guys are using and even how you use it. I'm sure everyone has their own way to do it.
 
ASA makes a good one but you can find a good inexpensive timer at any kitchen store, Target or Radio Shack.
 
There's a clock with a second hand in the center of my yoke. Works well. I use the non-moving red hands to clock flight time and remind me when to change fuel tanks.

On approach, I just remember when I start and count minutes & seconds to Miss.
 
With GPS I haven't timed a approach in a while.

I use my GTX transponder for a timer when I have to.

During my instrument training in a rather clapped out plane, I used my choreograph watch, strapped it so the face was on the bottom of my wrist, worked OK.
 
have a couple of timers,i purchased from sporty,s ,haven't used them lately,have a full garmin package.
 
Radio Shack kitchen timer with magnet removed. Removed beeper speaker and hooked up its wires to a wire that would connect into the aux. port of my intercom. Use the countdown mode to get an audible alarm in the head set when time to go missed.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231283969459?lpid=82

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10 numbers, start/stop, and reset buttons. I've used a lot of different things and THIS style of timer kicked ass. Just hamfist the countdown timer and hit start when you cross the FAF.
 
Just remember to take out any added timer and use the clock in the airplane to take your check ride. When the DPE ask you if you are timing this approach you say "Yes I am, using this clock".
 
My dpe did not care that I used an egg timer as long as I had required equipment in the aircraft.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but why would the DPE have an issue with it? Is it just because it's not an "approved" piece of equipment?
 
That's the one feature I like in Garmin Pilot that ForeFlight has refused to implement despite multiple requests. Sits right at the top of the screen. Very convenient.
 
Heuer IFR timer mounted on the panel plus the panel mounted clock plus a built in digital timer in the ADF. When I sent the Heuer timer back to Switzerland for reconditioning I picked up this stopwatch that I can velcro to my approach plate holder.
 

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Yeti Niner Five said:
Pardon my ignorance, but why would the DPE have an issue with it? Is it just because it's not an "approved" piece of equipment?
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No, he should not. And I would not recommend switching to the airplane clock if you are using a personal timer in training.
 
Yeti Niner Five said:
Question for you instrument-rated types...what kind of timer do you use?
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Usually the one in the airplane I'm flying as long as it has one. My plane has a Datron M800...

m800_5x2.jpg


...which works just fine, but I'm also happy using the one built into the G1000 or the Garmin GTX 327/330 transponders among other solutions. When there's no timer in the plane, I use a cheap kitchen timer I bought at WalMart (or was it Target?)...

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...which I keep in my bag when needed or to use with the sim when the trainee has no separate timer with him/her.

I'm about halfway through my instrument training and have decided I'd like a timer in the cockpit. The Arrow that I'm flying has a clock with a second hand, but I think I'd prefer a timer.
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Darn tootin' you would. You'll make yourself crazy trying to remember exactly where the second hand was when you passed the station and then add 42 seconds (or whatever the approach time is) to that.
 
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Scott@KTYR said:
Just remember to take out any added timer and use the clock in the airplane to take your check ride. When the DPE ask you if you are timing this approach you say "Yes I am, using this clock".
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No need to do that. You can use any timer you want as long as there's an installed clock which works. The reg only requires its installation and operability, not its use.
 
I just use the clock in the airplane. I haven't flown a timed approach in probably over a year. Use DME for everything nowadays.
 
One of the things I like about Avare. Timer button on the bottom left of the plate.
 
Ron Levy said:
No need to do that. You can use any timer you want as long as there's an installed clock which works. The reg only requires its installation and operability, not its use.
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Glad you mentioned that.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
I just use the clock in the airplane. I haven't flown a timed approach in probably over a year. Use DME for everything nowadays.
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DME is not always a legal option, and often not even an option at all. Lots of VOR approaches with no DME fix at the MAP, or based on a non-collocated VOR with no DME. In those cases, absent an approach-certified GPS with the approach loaded, you're back to good old-fashioned timing.
 
AdamZ said:
ASA makes a good one but you can find a good inexpensive timer at any kitchen store, Target or Radio Shack.
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I have the ASA Timer. It's a decent one.

But the less than $10 kitchen timer with simple set/start/count down, or press and count up, is really all that you need.

ASA and Sporty's timers are pretty "oversized". The kitchen timer is nice and compact, easily fits on the corner of my kneeboard.


VERDICT; save money and go with the inexpensive kitchen timer.
 
Thanks, all! You've confirmed my suspicions, cleared up some questions and taught me some stuff. I love this board.
 
I should mention that the ASA timer does have a nice feature set. But the form factor, size, and ergonomics are not the best.

For a timer, simpler design is better. ASA seems to have gotten caught up in the "but we have to make it look different and snappy" choices that took a good timer and put it into my "mehh" category.

I'll be selling mine soon.
 
One thing to consider; do you want a timer that counts UP or a timer that counts DOWN?
I prefer a timer that counts UP, reason being that you're not fixating on the timer you're just including it in your scan and if it counts down to zero you really don't know how long it's been on zero.
 
peerlesscowboy said:
One thing to consider; do you want a timer that counts UP or a timer that counts DOWN?
I prefer a timer that counts UP, reason being that you're not fixating on the timer you're just including it in your scan and if it counts down to zero you really don't know how long it's been on zero.
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The timers that count down usually will count up if you hit start without entering a time.
 
Ron Levy said:
DME is not always a legal option, and often not even an option at all. Lots of VOR approaches with no DME fix at the MAP, or based on a non-collocated VOR with no DME. In those cases, absent an approach-certified GPS with the approach loaded, you're back to good old-fashioned timing.
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Which is why I said I use the clock in the airplane...
 
Ron Levy said:
No need to do that. You can use any timer you want as long as there's an installed clock which works. The reg only requires its installation and operability, not its use.
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Ron, you are correct.

I should have said that a student taking his check ride may forget to start a Digital Timer on an approach and the Examiner will see it. With a Sweeping hand Clock to time the approach it is hard for the Examiner to see if the student is timing the approach or not. If the Examiner asks, the Student should say, “Yes – I am timing the Approach with the Clock with the sweeping hand.”
 
Gucci Pilot said:
Which is why I said I use the clock in the airplane...
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Actually, you said you use DME for everything. Giving instrument refresher training, I've run into pilots who try to use DME to locate MAP's even when there is no published DME cut for the MAP's and that's not kosher. It's certainly useful for situational awareness on such approaches, but timing remains primary.
 
Scott@KTYR said:
Ron, you are correct.

I should have said that a student taking his check ride may forget to start a Digital Timer on an approach and the Examiner will see it. With a Sweeping hand Clock to time the approach it is hard for the Examiner to see if the student is timing the approach or not. If the Examiner asks, the Student should say, “Yes – I am timing the Approach with the Clock with the sweeping hand.”
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It's not hard at all. All the examiner has to do is see if the applicant starts the missed at the correct point. I guarantee the examiner will see if the applicant doesn't hack the timer, and will note the time the fix was passed. Start the missed too soon or too late after that, and things will not go well.

BTW, this is why we at PIC hit the 5T's so hard. If you say "time" every single time you hit an action point, you'll never forget to start the timer when it's necessary. Skip that T when you don't think it's necessary, and someday you'll foreget it when it is. Law of Exerxise, and all that.
 
Ron Levy said:
Actually, you said you use DME for everything. Giving instrument refresher training, I've run into pilots who try to use DME to locate MAP's even when there is no published DME cut for the MAP's and that's not kosher. It's certainly useful for situational awareness on such approaches, but timing remains primary.
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Thats because every approach I've done in the past year has either been an ILS, GPS, PAR, VOR/DME, TACAN, or LOC(with either a VOR/DME or TACAN on the field). I said nothing about doing something against the regulations.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
Thats because every approach I've done in the past year has either been an ILS, GPS, PAR, VOR/DME, TACAN, or LOC(with either a VOR/DME or TACAN on the field). I said nothing about doing something against the regulations.
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Understood. But there are lots of places where you don't have a non-timed option -- I guess you just don't go those places. But they are out there, and people doing IR training are almost certain to get them on the IR practical test.
 
Actually, I have never been aware that I could not use a DME instead of a clock.
Of course, I grew up in the timing technique, but when I discovered DME, and saw how much more accurate it is, especially in actual thunderstormy unpredictable winds, I thought it made good sense to use the DME instead. Using the clock as back-up, of course.
To me, timing is the least accurate of other methods of determining position.
 
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