Jim Weir
Jim Weir is the chief avioniker at RST Engineering. He answers avionics questions in the Internet newsgroup www.pilotsofamerica.com–Maintenance. His technical advisor, Cyndi Weir, got her Masters degree in English and Journalism and keeps Jim on the straight and narrow. Check out their web site at www.rst-engr.com/kitplanes for previous articles and supplements.
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir describes some close encounters with power regulators of the plastic and metal-can kind.
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir presses the venerable LM317 variable voltage regulator (plus a few other parts) into service as a way to juice up a discharged battery.
Aero ‘lectrics
How do you condition a battery not in regular use to extend its lifetime? Run it down and then charge it back up. Jim Weir explains how to achieve this with about $10 worth of parts.
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir describes how he built the airframe structure of his new-and-improved wind tee.
AeroLectrics
Why we need regulated voltage in our aircraft and how zener diodes, resistors, transistors and semiconductors help us get there.
Aero ‘lectrics
Its important to understand the fundamentals before you can be conversant in electrical theory, so lets revisit Georg Simon Ohm and James Watt to see how their laws factor in to aircraft applications.
Aero ‘lectrics
Its time to revisit the DIY wind tee project-but with improvements fueled by experience.
Aero ‘lectrics
What do you do if you need to monitor a number of audio signals, but you don't have room for an audio switching panel? Jim Weir finds the answer in a summing amplifier.
In Case You Missed it
25th Anniversary: Change Is Good
At AirVenture 2009, Amy Laboda took the opportunity to talk with 12 key innovators in the world of Experimental aviation, with one question in mind: What do you think has been the most significant change in homebuilding aircraft in the past 25 years?
Alternative Energies
Electric vehicles and aircraft may be the future, but how will we create the energy to power them while minimizing environmental damage? By Dean Sigler.
