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Old January 16th 13, 05:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Dan Marotta
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Posts: 4,601
Default Glider EFIS anyone?

Your 302 has digital indicated airspeed on screen 10.

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
...
On 1/15/2013 7:48 PM, Bill D wrote:
On Tuesday, January 15, 2013 5:15:40 PM UTC-7, Craig R. wrote:
If I remember correctly, studies were done on the ability of the
brain to interpret and understand data quickly using either an
analog or digital readout. Time and speedometer readouts were the
main emphasis of the study. The study showed that the brain
interprets the analog display quicker and with greater accuracy.
Besides the issue of running out of power, it appears that the
analog display is superior to digital for information gathering and
execution. Something to consider in going to an all glass panel.
Perhaps someone that is up on this subject could elaborate?


That study was done very early in the digital age - 1960's IIRC.
Current studies show that while it remains easier to detect a trend
with an analog needle, a discrete value is easier to read in digits.
Few would use an altimeter to detect a trend so it works best as a
numeric display which is why few high performance aircraft use 3-hand
altimeters anymore - in fact they're pretty much relegated to gliders
which means they're probably going to disappear. Not many "little old
Swiss watchmakers" left to fix them these days.


After a year or so of getting my 302, the first instrument I had with a
digital altimeter display, I noticed I used it instead of the 3-hand
"clock". No effort was made to learn or do that - it just happened.

The analog airspeed still seems to be better than a numeric one, but I
don't have a numeric ASI to see if that's true. The airspeed is quite a
different quantity than altitude, and maybe that's why digital might not
be a good choice for it: airspeed has the same "right" and "wrong"
positions during the flight, regardless of your location; the "right"
altitude varies constantly during the flight.

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Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)