Fast Erect

[tom_martino]

I know what "fast erect" means in the Viagra world ... but not quite sure what it does in the EFIS One world.

While flying straight and level the other day, I hit "Fast Erect" just for grins and the display freaked out for several seconds then stabalized showing me flying upside down! (Which I wasn't)

I then hit it again ... and the display freaked out again, then showed me right side up ... but in a big bank. I then hit "set level" ... and things returned to near normal.

Is fast erect (The EFIS One kind) only to be used after an aerobatic maneuver? Just wondering.

[Larzfromarz]

Hey Tom,
I am getting quite a few issues related to just this thing. Fast Erect tells the gyros to reset to a reference level. If by some maneuvers the gyro becomes saturated (overwhelmed or confused) we need to Re-Erect. The reference level that the unit uses is established by using Set Level. When we use Set level a value is generated in the software that tells the CPU and Air Data board what we WANT to see as level. Some folks use set level a lot- and thats bad. What happens is we get too much information for "Set Level" to know really what we want. In order to use Set Level correctly, it is best that the all of the values that were generated into the Set level register be cleared out. This can be accomplished by nulling out the set level simply by pressing zero (0) on the keyboard when the programming keyboard is plugged in. You won't see anything happen, but it does. Now the unit can get a NEW reference ( buy using the Set Level button)to level when you make the next flight and are in straight and level flight. Set level should only really be done at the intial install (or a reinstall) and/or during first flight. Clearing the set level (and re-setting "Set Level"- one time) usually aleviates Fast Erect headaches.Maybe this will help.
Larry

[edwardoc]

I just read the "set level" doc and the previous post and just want to confirm that you just have to have the keyboard plugged and no menu or engine pages being displayed. If I want to do this while flying can I just have the normal ADI/HSI screen up and plug in the keyboard and hit the 0 key while straight & level or do I have to have some other screen pulled up? Exactly what screens will work to zero out the set level reference?

[jbeck]

I would like to chime in here. I have had some experience here in regards to using the "set level" settings. I did not understand the concept at first and was always using the "set level" to re erect my EFIS. As time went on my G4 would start to drift, never level at start up, became unstable, fall off in flight.
After talking to Ross he explained that every time I pressed "set level" I inserted an additional reference point as to what level is. Additional points is the key here, not replacing the previous points. So the G4 had to work harder to sum the points up to establish the level point. The more I pressed it the more I confused it.
Ross had me zero it out as Larry said by plugging in the key board and pressing 0 at the ADI screen. I don't see why you would want to do this at any other screen as this setting only applies to the ADI. The ADI screen does jiggle a bit after pressing 0 so I knew it worked. Then when I have established a true level "all three axis" condition THEN press "set level" just once. A world of difference.
I have never had to set this again.
My G4 always goes squishy when I first turn it on but after four min I press fast erect to level it out. But who goes from hangar to the sky in less than four min?
I established true level in my hangar on my RV7A by leveling certain parts of the plane so I dont know if that will work for you. I suppose you could do it in flight as long as you were in clean air and trimmed out. I have not tried that. But remember.... one press of set level or you have to zero it out and try again.
Hope this helps

[edwardoc]

Thanks for the post. Am going to try it on a smooth day while airborne. Just wanted to make sure what screen to be in and if you can see the effect. Thanks again.

[CTSW]

I don't get this. Seems to me level is level, end of story. Whey is the EFIS set to take an array of level data and consider the entire data set?

Shouldn't any new set level entry simply replace the previous?

[richard531]

My story is a little different. After initially flying E1 in December 2005, the level worked as advertised. However after a while it started to act similarly to the other stories. I read the note explaining the nature of “set level” and “fast erect” and did the following:
Plugged the keyboard on the ground and pressed zero. Leveled the aircraft on the ground and pressed “set level”.
In the first flight after that the level drifted off in pitch and roll. Pressing “fast erect” did not cure the problem. I then tried to zero it in flight and pressing “set level” once in straight and level flight. It stayed level for a while and then developed problems again. I ended up sending the box back to BMA. I am still waiting for the word.

[N395V]

This particular discussion appears to be about G3s

My G1 EFIS 1 is acting funny in a similiar manner.

Can I do the zero thing on a G1? What will I see when I press zero? It just seems to set there.

[RTheurer]

Milt,
You won't see anything when you hit zero. It just resets previous data points. I did this on my Gen 1 (upgraded to Gen 2) Lite with good results.

Rick

[N395V]

Thanks Rick