WAAS GPS vario?
Embedded GPS INS (using RLG) are now standard in almost all military
aircraft - often two are used. Neat devices; just turn it on, and in
4 minutes at most you have attitude, velocities, and position.
And GPS chips are showing up everywhere.
And MEMS gyros and accelerometers are ubiquitous in modern cars.
Could be that the hardware to make our theoretical GPS vario will soon
be less expensive than classical pneumatic varios - whether mechanical
or electronic - if the complete installation cost is compared. What
does a really good TE system cost these days? Probe, tubing,
installation, etc.
So my glider cockpit of the future has an AOA system, a sunlight
visible moving map/glide computer with real time weather (disabled for
contests, of course), GPS Vario, instant-on attitude info for when
you get sucked into a cloud or trapped above a deck in a wave, ADS-B
in/out to show traffic around me, SPOT to let the family know where I
am.
And I want to be able to use voice commands to change a task inflight!
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