Polling threads

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Where do you mount your vario?

Downtube left side & I'm right handed
63
42%
Downtube right side & I'm right handed
12
8%
Downtube left side & I'm left handed
10
7%
Downtube right side & I'm left handed
2
1%
Base tube left side & I'm right handed
13
9%
Base tube right side & I'm right handed
3
2%
Base tube left side & I'm left handed
2
1%
Base tube right side & I'm left handed
No votes
0%
Center of base tube
25
17%
Never thought of it, Instructor mounted it and I haven't changed
No votes
0%
Who cares, just fly
10
7%
I don't fly with a vario, I'm a bird man
10
7%
User avatar
By soarass
#320923
Lost some of my speech range frequencies in the Navy's enginerooms, and when I went to a open face helmet with a shield and ears covered, damn near can't hear the vario now. In the process of of drilling holes in the ear area of the helmet, and then bonding on small "scoops" on the exterior of the helmet, to act as air intakes AND reflectors (ears) for the sound. What are advertised as "vents" on most motorcycle helmets don't do SH*T at hang-gliding speeds, so the extra air won't bother me a bit. :wink:
User avatar
By DBrose
#320925
i duct tape my laptop and Iphone to my basetube..i can facebook and check in at cloudbase and edit flyin vids while at cloudbase
By Phoenix
#320935
Fag, a junior boy who acts or acted as servant ("fagging") to a senior boy at a British public school
User avatar
By pud
#320942
Tow pilots should be wary of anything on the base-bar that might snag the line(s). This increases the chances of a lockout considerably.

My vario is on the left upright where it stays, my GPS I unclip from the left upright and clip onto the middle of the base-bar after T/O 'cos I have little hope of seeing it unless it is 6" in front of my nose!

Some of you guys can circle to the right??? Is that even possible?


:)
By Phoenix
#320947
Snagging your chute handle is something to watch out for if you mount on the center of the base bar. God, I miss my Lindsay Ruddock! :cry:
User avatar
By Dawson
#320948
I always mount on an upright, but have no preference over left or right.
I do however have a turn preference. I prefer to turn away from whichever side my vario is on.

dpb
User avatar
By jj colorado
#320949
Base tube center is great except when:
#1 aerotowing, or
#2 whack.

Since I aerotow it is best not to keep things moving around a lot so putting it on the left downtube allows me to get used to it in a standard location. Right lower downtube is left open in case I want to put a pointable camera there.
User avatar
By aeroexperiments
#337855
If you are putting the vario "prone" (top forward), then left vs right down tube may make a huge difference in ease of viewing through polarized sunglasses. Because the polarization of the LCD screen may be at a diagonal slant relative to the instrument top / bottom. My Brauniger IQ Comp is happy on the right dt.

See for yourself, while hooked in and prone, with glider in a typical flight attitude.

PS yes I am right handed. When aerotowing, I put the bicycle release just above (higher than) the varo bracket. Plenty of room on the dt for both.
User avatar
By Karl_A
#337910
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User avatar
By SeeHoweToFly
#337934
Dead center of the base tube. Makes it easier to see no matter which way I'm turning 😉
User avatar
By Bob Sponge
#338429
Curious one this, I am going from an old V8 big block thing to a Blue Fly with either smart phone or 7"tablet. Will be trying both to see how it goes.
I am thinking centre of basetube for tablet for use with XC soar etc.
Will also try both on left dt. Have been lying awake trying to figure appropriate mounts etc.
Will post my results.
User avatar
By dayhead
#338474
I permanently mounted my vario on the right sidewall of a brown corrugated box and put it somewhere, I can't find it but I know it's mounted properly.

Those of you that fly with a vario all the time don't know what you're missing.

They must add a lot of drag, my glider flies so much better without the damn thing screwing up the airflow.

Yes, there is a learning curve and for awhile you'll be standing in the LZ, watching your friends get higher stay up longer go further.

But after you've paid your dues you'll be so happy you did.
User avatar
By Dontsink
#338512
I only have a little beeper vario (Renschler solario) stuck on the back of my helmet but lately i'm working on no-vario flying.
When i started flying with a GPS (leaves a pretty track,marks in color where you climb blah blah) i thought i would get a much better performance.Not so...my flying went to worse,missed and badly centered thermals every time.
So i'm going to try the barebones approach,easy now because it is mostly hill soaring but i did catch and center a lovely low save with the PG last week...no vario!.
BTW Bruce Goldsmith says he is also flying without instruments these days and loving it.
User avatar
By archon_mr_clean
#351362
Personally, I have mine on the left side of the control bar. I'm not married to the position, but it works for me.
By talon2
#371866
For 25 years I've tried most but ended up in the middle of the basetube. All that info on new decks is good to see and you can turning left or right or on glide. On downtube was only good if turning that direction and then not even that visible. And then you find yourself favoring that side.

Always had worries on tow or if a bad landing but that was my choice. Haven't tried the long instrument pods. They might change my mind.