Radio Altitude and Drift Instrument

Features
1. This gauge displays low altitude readings from 0 to 1000 feet in an analog display. Below 100-feet, altitude can be read to within one-foot. This allows the pilot to know the exact relationship between runway (or other landing surfaces) and aircraft during touchdown.
2. Zero adjustment: This adjustment allows the altitude needle to be set to zero to compensate for the distance between ground and instrument mounting on bottom of aircraft. Smaller aircraft will need less compensation, larger aircraft will need more.
2. Wind drift indicator: 30-degrees left and right. This information is very helpful during the final approach to a runway. 
3. Warning flag indicates when instrument has exceeded its altitude limit (over 1000-feet) and can no longer be used for this information. 

Installation
1. This gauge can be placed in a panel of your choice. When used this way, the following line should be added to the panel.cfg file of the aircraft. The line is added under the [Window00] section:

gaugeXX=RADI!RADI, LocationX, LocationY, SizeX, SizeY

2. The gaugeXX number should be the next consecutive gauge number for your particular aircraft. LocationX and LocationY will move gauge into desired position on your panel. SizeX and SizeY will determine the final size of gauge. For round gauges both SizeX and SizeY are the same.

See the npanel.gif for an example installation in the Bell helicopter. In order to locate and size the RADI as shown in that graphic, the following modification was made to the panel.cfg file of the Bell.

//gauge16=Bell_206B!Turn Indicator, 350, 198
gauge16=RADI!RADI, 360, 200, 59, 59
The Turn Indicator (seldom used) was commented out and replace by the RADI (used continously during landings).

3. Place RADI.cab file into Gauges folder of FS9. 

Instructions
1. After installation, altitude will not read zero because of the distance between landing surface and location of instrument on aircraft. For example, when installed on the Bell helicopter the altitude will initially read 4-feet. This is approx. the height of the landing skids. This distance can be adjusted, if desired, so that the gauge will read zero when aircraft is sitting on ground. This is done by using the "Zero" adjustment on bottom left of gauge. Plus will move needle to higher value, Minus will move needle to a lower value.
2. To signal when gauge has passed its altitude limit (1000-feet), a red flag is activated. This shows that the gauge reading is no longer useable. When gauge reads 1000-feet or less, a green flag is shown.
3. For altitudes over 100-feet, the scale is marked in 100-foot segments. For altitudes below 100-feet, the scale is marked in 10-foot segments. For a given climb/descent rate, the needle moves at different speeds within these two zones; slowly above 100-feet, faster below 100-feet.

Contact info:
Glenn Copeland
[email protected]