MONTY THE ANSWER MAN

ENGINE INSTRUMENTS

STEVE WANTS TO ASK JUST ONE MORE QUESTION...
My Swift has Stewart-Warner engine gauges installed. These gauges are sold by Aircraft Spruce but are not what are considered "aircraft" gauges. They look like and perhaps are more an auto gauge. They appear in this photo of my panel as the four chrome gauges on each side of the navcom. Are they "legal" and appropriate for this Swift? Again, I have people telling me I have to change them out to be "legal". Sorry for so many questions. Regards, Steve N2397B

Steve,
The Swift, like a lot of light planes had non-TSO'ed engine instruments. The original oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel pressure and ammeter are automotive style gauges. If a 3 in 1 gauge or other AN gauges are installed they ARE TSO'ed and only require a log entry. Using Stewart Warner type gauges is open to some interpretation. If I were relicensing the airplane I would consider them equivalent to the originals, and ignore them. If I were making an original installation of a reworked panel with them installed, I would submit a form 337 for a field approval.  Why don't you ask Don Bartholomew? He might give a different slant on this. Don't apologize! Hey, I love this stuff!  --  Jim

EGT FOR THE SWIFT...(110200)
Subject: Westach EGT / CHT
From: Ed Lloyd <edlloydaustin@juno.com>
Hi Jim, been awhile. I have run across a new six cylinder, manually selectable, EGT / CHT system by Westach on the net that is for sale at less than half price. Unit still in original box and has six thermocouples and rotary selector with it. Do you have any experience with this system at all. Almost seems to good to pass up. If I had a system similar to this, I may have saved a cylinder overheat awhile back. Thanks.....Ed Lloyd

Ed,
That system should work OK, but the Westach is an "economy" instrument and I don't know if they are all PMA'ed. I had a Westach EGT guage on an airplane and always thought it read high, but you just want a comparative number anyway. You are installing it for supplemental use, so getting a field approval should be relatively easy, if it's not a PMA'ed instrument. -- Jim