Unisens TEK Nozzle angled (240mm)

Total energy compensation for the Vario in the GPS-Logger 2/3 and in the MicroVario!

The TEK nozzle is the ideal addition for our GPS-Logger 2/3 and for the MicroVario. These have a TEK connection on the vario and, together with the TEK nozzle, enable a vario experience similar to that of man-carrying gliders.

Our TEK nozzle works on the principle of the "Braunschweig nozzle". This design is used almost exclusively in man-carrying gliders today. Although the design is more complex than the simple curved Nicks nozzle, it is unsurpassed in terms of compensation and also delivers perfect results in model flying.

The nozzle is made entirely of stainless steel and is hard-soldered.

The nozzle head is on a scale of 1:2. This sounds larger than it is, as the original nozzles are very small. The nozzle looks correctly dimensioned on models of practically any size.

The 2.5 mm diameter tube is about 240 mm long and 40 mm high in the angled version for installation in the vertical stabilizer. In the original, this length is about 750 mm, so that our nozzle has the correct length for 1:3 models. For smaller models the tube can be shortened slightly, for larger models it could be extended and stiffened with a carbon fiber tube.

The straight version for installation on the back of the fuselage is about 120 mm long.

What is TEK anyway?

In simple terms, TEK means the suppression of "stick thermals" by taking into account the speed of the model. This is achieved by connecting a TEK nozzle to the Vario sensor.

For slow models that fly at a constant speed, the simple vario without TEK is often sufficient. Here the errors caused by controlled altitude changes are not so great and you can already recognize the thermals well through the vario. The cleaner you fly and the smaller the speed changes, the better the vario without TEK nozzle works.

However, with dynamic models or with an imperfect flying style, there are always vario outputs that do not show the real climb and descent of the model, but only a controlled change in speed or altitude, the "stick thermals". However, when searching for thermals, you are only interested in whether you are flying in a rising, falling or neutral air mass. As independent as possible of how the aircraft is currently moving.

Exactly this behavior can be achieved by using a TEK nozzle on the variometer. This nozzle generates a speed-dependent negative pressure and thus simulates a climb with increasing speed, which compensates for the loss of altitude. So you press on, the altitude decreases and the vario without TEK would indicate sinking. The TEK nozzle compensates for this by displaying climb for the speed that increases when pressure is applied. The conversion of altitude (potential energy) into speed (kinetic energy) is therefore no longer misinterpreted as sinking or climbing with the TEK nozzle.

In the ideal case, with full compensation, the vario always shows the current sink rate of the aircraft in absolutely calm air. Of course, this is not a constant value, but depends on the speed, lift and other factors.

The connection between the TEK nozzle and the GPS-Logger 2/3 or MicroVario is made using the separately available nozzle holder, order no. 2785, and the hoses contained therein.