Why do Vipers have Horizon Indicators?

[jjrakman]

I suppose when they fly in an atmosphere they are useful, but I see them operating in the cockpits when they are in outer space.

The only explanation I can come up with is that they are used to fix on the Galactica's position as far as it's Horizon for purposes of landing in the bays. How does that sound?

[137th Gebirg]

I always felt it was relative to the orientation of the Galaxy. Despite the fact there is no real "direction" in space, humans have the inate need to know what's forward, back, up, down, etc. Flying parallel to the galactic rim would be my bet.

Orientation of the Galactica itself would be my second choice.

[Artemis]

It could be something as easy as designers weren't very good at removing themselves from Earthly references 25 years ago. The galaxy is so big that reference to that is not really helpful, atmospheric travel would be the only time it would be useful. Each planet has its own ecliptic which also makes that a useless measure. The only thing I can think of that it would be able to lock on in space would be the magnetic plane of the solar system. I think it was to just add something techinical looking to the control board.

[newt]

Well, you'd need them for atmospheric ops, for landing ops, and any other operation where the orientation of your ship is necessary (such as formation flying or docking). If they are gyroscopes (which I assume they are), it probably makes more sense to keep them caged and spinning even if not needed as opposed to "turning them off and on" (gyros take a while to "spin up"). The space shuttle uses gyros (even if the AI is a heads up crt/flatscreen display, it's still driven by gyros)...wonder if they keep it on in space. I'm sure they're on for launch in case of emergency ditching, and obvioisly for landing and docking....actually they probably are used in orbit too since there is still a "horizon" of sorts...

When I'm flying under "VFR" (visual conditions) my AI is still functioning but I don't really reference it much. Although, on a side note, I will state that an AI that is broken and giving erroneous indications really messes with you. That's why we're taught to cover a malfunctioning instrument. Perhaps the Vipers keep the AI at work to prevent against the distorting feelings from having two at odds inputs (an AI turned "off" will still move).

Maybe I should ask this on my flying forum... :D



:D

[Artemis]

You fancy heavier-than-air pilots, we don't need any of that electronic feldercarb in lighter-than-air. :baloon:

[jewels]

Artemis: are you a balloonist? Cool!

[Westy]

of what you need "horizon indicators" for. They call them gumbels and they're critical for navigating in space, but it's really the same thing as what Newt said....they're gyros

[Senmut]

Since the Colonials have been a spacefaring race for a long time, they will have worked out their own coordinate system. Even here on Earth, astronomers use what is sometimes called "the galactic equator" in fixing a star's position. Doubtless somthing similar is used in Colonial navigation, and the Viper's systems try to lock on the it. Once they are beyong any region charted by the Colonies, it may just lock on to whatever planetary system they are in.

[KJ]

Heh i know where you got this question from Jjrakman? a similar one was on a review of the DVD movie of Galactica years ago on thedigitalbits.com

Seems i'll go with same answer you gave.

The Vipers horizon indicators are use inside an atmosphere of a planet. Thats the most reasonable answer i can give.

KJ

[Flamingo Girl]

I remember smething at the time where someone asked a similar question about the ships having wings...it may have been about Star Wars now that I think about it.....but the answer was that the ships were designed to fly in the atmosphere of different planets as well.

Did I help?

[Artemis]

Originally posted by jewels
Artemis: are you a balloonist? Cool!

Yes, I am a balloon pilot.
The question I have about the indicators is what are they locking in on. An equator or ecliptic is an imaginary line based on a coordinate system or the orbit of a planet, there isn't any field or energy source that an instrument can read. That is why I suggested a magnetic field. One of my fiends suggested that they get their readings from the Galactica and it centers on that. I don't know how a gyro would work without gravity. The shuttle's instruments may be able to detect Earth's gravity since it stays in orbit, don't any of our shuttle pilots here know?