I believe there was some research some years ago, on a similar vein.

The fact seemed to be we "read" clocks almost without thinking. Just the
position of the hands "tells us" what the time is (think of 15 mins to 3
o'clock)

Maybe the altimeter view works the same, which would also make it more
difficult
to adjust to, when it isn't mounted to fit our usual expectations.

(also makes me question the way electrical switches are down for off and up
for
on, in opposition to domestic reality, then we go to hand throttle's!)

Malcolm...


"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
...
Does it strike some of the digerati here that expensive mechanical
altimeters with easily mis-read clock-like hands locked into either the
metric or US measurement systems are archaic?

GPS provides highly accurate, although not ATC compliant, altitude.
Various
vendors provide electronic pressure altimeters with digital displays that
can be switched between meters and feet with the push of a button.
Digital
pressure altitude sensors drive the "glass cockpits" of new GA aircraft.

I seems to me that clock-like altimeters designed 70 years ago and
maintained by watchmakers must be nearing their well-deserved retirement.

Bill Daniels


"Bert Willing" wrote in
message ...
Yes, they are.

--
Bert Willing

ASW20 "TW"


"Roy Bourgeois" a écrit dans le message
de
news: ...
This may be a silly question - but are all metric altimeters
configured with 'Zero at 6 O'clock' as I saw in France?
I did not have trouble converting to meters/kilometers
but I did have trouble quickly reading the altimeter
with the zero at the bottom of the instrument face
(especially on the little 57mm instruments). Just
curious.

Roy