Avionics News October 2015 - 68
series
MY LIFE IN AVIONICS
PART 4
B Y
J E R R Y
G O R D O N
My introduction to
general aviation
EDITOR'S NOTE:
This is part four of a series that
focuses on the avionics career of
Jerry Gordon, who recently turned
80 years old. For many years,
Gordon wrote a column for Avionics
News titled "The Technician's
Notebook." The column offered
experienced advice and procedures
to assist avionics technicians in
performing their duties on a daily
basis. During his career, Gordon
helped start 13 avionics shops from
scratch. Readers will enjoy reliving
a bit of avionics history through
the eyes of a man who dedicated
his career serving the industry.
The first article told a fascinating
tale about how the author was
first introduced to avionics through
the United States Air Force in the
1950s.The second article outlined
his educational experiences. And
the third article reviewed his time
with the commercial airlines.
68
avionics news
*
october
2015
When my friend Gene Sherman and I were hired to
design, build and run a radio shop for general aviation,
we thought it would be a snap. He was my boss, but we
got along just fine. He taught me to always have a cigar
in one hand, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We often met in
his tiny office with the door closed. When we were done
meeting and opened the door, the cigar smoke rolled
out and was immediately diffused throughout the entire
building. One day, I was completely into troubleshooting
a radio and picked up my cigar without noticing which
end was headed for my mouth!
For two highly experienced electronics technicians, you would think
general aviation radios would be simple. Being used to heavy black boxes carried on our shoulders, we saw airplanes with flimsy imitation radios
made small enough to fit in the instrument panels. The normal size was 6
inches wide and usually around 6 inches high. The manufacturers such
as Lear and Narco had no room to add unnecessary functions like crystal
control for receiving. We had a little hand crank to search where we could
receive the control tower. At least the transmitter was crystal controlled.
Nine channels should be enough for any and all towers. Someone got
smart after a while and added "whistle stop tuning." A small switch turned
it on, which made tuning the receiver to the transmitter frequency by
turning the transmitter a little bit. Then we turned the receiver crank until
we heard a zero beat in the receiver. Now we had the receiver tuned to
the transmit frequency. You should try that in turbulence.
We were introduced to the Narco VHT-3 Superhomer, the Mark 2
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News October 2015
Avionics News October 2015 - Intro
Avionics News October 2015 - Cover1
Avionics News October 2015 - Cover2
Avionics News October 2015 - 1
Avionics News October 2015 - 2
Avionics News October 2015 - 3
Avionics News October 2015 - 4
Avionics News October 2015 - 5
Avionics News October 2015 - 6
Avionics News October 2015 - 7
Avionics News October 2015 - 8
Avionics News October 2015 - 9
Avionics News October 2015 - 10
Avionics News October 2015 - 11
Avionics News October 2015 - 12
Avionics News October 2015 - 13
Avionics News October 2015 - 14
Avionics News October 2015 - 15
Avionics News October 2015 - 16
Avionics News October 2015 - 17
Avionics News October 2015 - 18
Avionics News October 2015 - 19
Avionics News October 2015 - 20
Avionics News October 2015 - 21
Avionics News October 2015 - 22
Avionics News October 2015 - 23
Avionics News October 2015 - 24
Avionics News October 2015 - 25
Avionics News October 2015 - 26
Avionics News October 2015 - 27
Avionics News October 2015 - 28
Avionics News October 2015 - 29
Avionics News October 2015 - 30
Avionics News October 2015 - 31
Avionics News October 2015 - 32
Avionics News October 2015 - 33
Avionics News October 2015 - 34
Avionics News October 2015 - 35
Avionics News October 2015 - 36
Avionics News October 2015 - 37
Avionics News October 2015 - 38
Avionics News October 2015 - 39
Avionics News October 2015 - 40
Avionics News October 2015 - 41
Avionics News October 2015 - 42
Avionics News October 2015 - 43
Avionics News October 2015 - 44
Avionics News October 2015 - 45
Avionics News October 2015 - 46
Avionics News October 2015 - 47
Avionics News October 2015 - 48
Avionics News October 2015 - 49
Avionics News October 2015 - 50
Avionics News October 2015 - 51
Avionics News October 2015 - 52
Avionics News October 2015 - 53
Avionics News October 2015 - 54
Avionics News October 2015 - 55
Avionics News October 2015 - 56
Avionics News October 2015 - 57
Avionics News October 2015 - 58
Avionics News October 2015 - 59
Avionics News October 2015 - 60
Avionics News October 2015 - 61
Avionics News October 2015 - 62
Avionics News October 2015 - 63
Avionics News October 2015 - 64
Avionics News October 2015 - 65
Avionics News October 2015 - 66
Avionics News October 2015 - 67
Avionics News October 2015 - 68
Avionics News October 2015 - 69
Avionics News October 2015 - 70
Avionics News October 2015 - 71
Avionics News October 2015 - 72
Avionics News October 2015 - 73
Avionics News October 2015 - 74
Avionics News October 2015 - 75
Avionics News October 2015 - 76
Avionics News October 2015 - 77
Avionics News October 2015 - 78
Avionics News October 2015 - 79
Avionics News October 2015 - 80
Avionics News October 2015 - Cover3
Avionics News October 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/60-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/59-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/58-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/57-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/56-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-02
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/55-01
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/54-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-8
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-7
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-6
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-5
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-4
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-3
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-2
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/53-1
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-12
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-11
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-10
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-9
http://www.brightcopy.net/allen/avne/52-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/52-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/51-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/50-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-11
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-10
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-9
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-8
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-7
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-6
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-5
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-4
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-3
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-2
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/49-1
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-12
https://www.nxtbook.com/allen/avne/48-11
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com