Jim Carriere wrote:
Right. I've seen a venturi on an old aircraft. You can still buy
them. They cost about as much as beer money, and are pretty reliable
unless a bird hits them or they ice up. I understand from the
designer's point of view the drag they create hurts performance much
more than an engine driven pump...



Yes they hurt performance but if you don't have an engine with a vacuum pump
and/or don't have an electrical system (and we all know how much more
electrical gauges cost!) them really there is not much choice. Venturis
work and hey they look cool!
John