What annoys me today

http://www.invensense.com/news/112806.html

The short take on this: MEMS or micromechanical technology, basically
integrated circuit technology used to make microscopic mechanical
features, having been used to make $1 accelerometers, is now being
used to make $1 gyroscopes, with a full internal navigation unit
on a chip in the near future.

What it means is that your cell phone or WII game controller will
know exactly where it is in space, and what orientation, for less
than $10 total manufacturing costs.

Let me say this simply. The fact that aircraft avionics, the application
for which gyros were *invented*, will shortly know *less* about the
position of the aircraft, with *less* reliability and *less* accuracy,
than the cell phone under your butt whilst flying along,

IS A *CRIME*.

The FAA should be *ASHAMED* at how much they have managed to slow down
and stop the adoption of modern technology in light airplanes.

What major innovation have the feds offered us to break out of this
logjam? They have proposed that we voluntarily *DECERTIFY* our aircraft,
as in take our perfectly TSO'ed aircraft and classify them as
experimental.

Scott Moore

scott moore wrote:

IS A *CRIME*.

The FAA should be *ASHAMED* at how much they have managed to slow down
and stop the adoption of modern technology in light airplanes.

I feel your pain.

In article ,
scott moore wrote:

Let me say this simply. The fact that aircraft avionics, the application
for which gyros were *invented*, will shortly know *less* about the
position of the aircraft, with *less* reliability and *less* accuracy,

what are the specs on these solidstate gyros?

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate

Scott,

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

-Mike

"scott moore" wrote in message
. ..
http://www.invensense.com/news/112806.html

The short take on this: MEMS or micromechanical technology, basically
integrated circuit technology used to make microscopic mechanical
features, having been used to make $1 accelerometers, is now being
used to make $1 gyroscopes, with a full internal navigation unit
on a chip in the near future.

What it means is that your cell phone or WII game controller will
know exactly where it is in space, and what orientation, for less
than $10 total manufacturing costs.

Let me say this simply. The fact that aircraft avionics, the application
for which gyros were *invented*, will shortly know *less* about the
position of the aircraft, with *less* reliability and *less* accuracy,
than the cell phone under your butt whilst flying along,

IS A *CRIME*.

The FAA should be *ASHAMED* at how much they have managed to slow down
and stop the adoption of modern technology in light airplanes.

What major innovation have the feds offered us to break out of this
logjam? They have proposed that we voluntarily *DECERTIFY* our aircraft,
as in take our perfectly TSO'ed aircraft and classify them as
experimental.

Scott Moore

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.


--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

Mike Murdock wrote:
Scott,

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

-Mike


Its a nit pick, but they actually use accelerometers with "GPS
righting". An accelerometer can serve as a full positioning system,
because they can also detect turning forces. However, they are not
as accurate as a true gyro. The microprocessor that operates the
Avidyne and Garmin units uses the GPS data to provide continuous
corrections to the accelerometer based data. A gyro based solution,
such as the one mentioned in the posted article would not need that.

Scott

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

... 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.

Nothing new. Price a $2 microswitch used in the Piper stall warning one
day.

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

What? You don't like an endeavor that depends upon AA batteries and velcro
for its very existence?

Let me say this simply. The fact that aircraft avionics, the application
for which gyros were *invented*, will shortly know *less* about the
position of the aircraft, with *less* reliability and *less* accuracy,
than the cell phone under your butt whilst flying along,

IS A *CRIME*.

The FAA should be *ASHAMED* at how much they have managed to slow down
and stop the adoption of modern technology in light airplanes.