wrote:
Mike Murdock wrote:
: Scott,

: Are you aware that the FAA-certified "glass cockpits" by Avidyne and Garmin
: use MEMS technology for their gyros?

... that cost more than many used, flyable, certified aircraft... I belive
the OP was lamenting the $1 part costing 4-4.5 orders of magnitude to wrap into a
certified piece of equipment.



Also there is the issue of downward compatibility. Although certainly
light plane owners might dream of replacing all those six pack
instruments, it makes more sense to replace standard gauges one at a
time, preferably with instruments with similar hookups.

There is virtually nothing now that MEMs has not touched of interest
in an aircraft. Even pressure sensors now have MEMs equivalents. There
is no technological reason why ALL of the instruments in an airplane
cannot have modern, all electronic equivalents that are completely
compatible, formwise and hookup wise.

As an example, an HSI or an AI could be replaced by an equivalent
all electronic unit that sits in the same hole, has an LCD face,
and has a full internal navigation unit in it.

Scott