[time-nuts] OT - DC-10 gyros

[Lee Mushel]

Great to know there's someone around who loves complex electro-mechanical 
systems!   I thought the population had dropped to zero!

Regards,

Lee
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Ezell" <wje at quackers.net>
To: <time-nuts at febo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 2:40 PM
Subject: [time-nuts] OT - DC-10 gyros


> Well, I can come up with something topical, read on. :)
>
> I saw a 'Bendix yaw-rate gyro' on FleaBay recently for $14.50. Of course, 
> I had to buy it.
>
> What I got was the yaw-rate gyro package from a Northwest Airlines DC-10 
> that was stripped for parts around 2000. The gyro included the pull tag 
> with tail number, the license number of the A&P mechanic that pulled it, 
> and some other cool stuff.
>
> What it turned out to really be is two gyros with two sets of electronics 
> in one box about 6" x 2" x 5" box, all vintage '80s or so. Even better, 
> it's a strapdown system. The actual gyro wheel is about the size of your 
> thumbnail. I've just started tracing things out, and I've gotten the gyros 
> to spin up. I really love mechanical gyros for some reason, too bad 
> there's not a gyro-nuts group. I'm going to have great fun getting the 
> package traced out and running.