DC6 Cloudmaster Gyro compass turn

[ecasalduero 0]

Hi,

May be a stupid question but, I learned that "The only stupid question is the not made question". When I made a turn, say 30 degrees to the left,, the Gyro Compass turn to the right and, unless they mark the correct heading, the left and right are -seems to me- inverted, and because of made to me  make mistakes in flaying a plane with needed great attention in VOR approaches.

I supose is correct this mode of beaviour but I do not understand why.

Thank you in advance for a explanation.

Emilio Casalduero

 

[scandinavian13 5,192]

25 minutes ago, ecasalduero said:

When I made a turn, say 30 degrees to the left,, the Gyro Compass turn to the right and, unless they mark the correct heading, the left and right are -seems to me- inverted, and because of made to me  make mistakes in flaying a plane with needed great attention in VOR approaches.

Keep in mind that this plane is decades old, and still from an era when we were learning about how pilots react to information that we put in front of them. Human factors really wasn't a thing yet. The issue you're reporting is actually an issue with the type of gauge available at the time. You'll note that you don't see these anymore in real flight decks because they're counter intuitive. That lesson hadn't really been learned yet.

Note, as well, that the various switches for lights are scattered all over the overhead. Another human factors thing...

Look at this artificial horizon in this photo and note that the numbers are not inverted as you might expect. It is real, and was common in older Soviet aircraft. Again...human factors thing that was later changed:

[downscc 1,327]

I wouldn't call it counter intuitive, it is simply a matter of changing your frame of reference.  The old gyro compass should be thought of as stationary, and when you turn to the left it isn't turning but you are turning around it.  There are quite a few examples we have of how to set our frame of reference.  For example flying a localizer your reference is the needle represents the localizer and you turn towards it to center it; however a back course is the opposite and the reference frame is that the needle represents the aircraft and to center it you need to turn away from the needle.  It's just a matter of training, and to some extent the pilots spacial ability or the ability to visualize thing in space in one's mind.  Essential for pilots before moving maps and electronics starting doing that for us.