Going All-Electric

These days, vacuum- or air-pressure-driven instruments in an otherwise glass panel seem like the proverbial fish out of water: All that spiffy new technology parked next to stone-age holdovers. Vacuum/air pumps and the unreliable spinning gyros they feed are pre-WWII technology, heavy and involve problematic plumbing systems. The irony has many owners thinking of removing their air/vacuum system entirely. Though it’s not without its drawbacks—which we’ll get to—going all-electric has several benefits, including weight savings, simplified maintenance and troubleshooting, and elimination of the failure-prone dry pumps and plumbing once and for all.

Key Takeaways:

• Many aircraft owners are transitioning from outdated, unreliable vacuum/air-pressure instrument systems to all-electric setups for benefits like weight savings, simplified maintenance, and improved reliability.
• This conversion involves significant upfront costs, including installing electric backup gyros (often with independent power sources) and potential upgrades to the aircraft's electrical system.
• While offering long-term advantages, the change isn't feasible for aircraft with pneumatic de-ice boots or autopilots, and requires pilots to adopt new operational habits like diligent electrical system monitoring and battery maintenance.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

See a mistake? Contact us.