"Ray Andraka" wrote in message
...

Good reason not to depart in low IMC I guess. I agree, that the AI is a
weak
link and carries with it some risk. While nice to have, cost and panel
space
make the back up AI difficult in some aircraft.

I think it is a matter of priorities... in an airplane which is IFR
certified, it is hard to believe there is not some space or economic
compromise which could not be made if a pilot felt this were an important
enough issue. I know I will get diagreement on this as always, but I think
the electric AI comes first before an IFR GPS. Even C152s sometimes have
Garmin 430s/530s nowadays; an electric AI would make much more sense IMHO.

As an even better solution, Hal Sheevers of Sporty's has for quite some time
been lobbying the FAA to permit an electric AI to replace a turn
coordinator... it does not seem as if the issue is getting very far with the
FAA, but I do think that would be a very good compromise if we started to
see electric AIs installed in place of the turn coordinator on planes where
panel space is tight.


--
Richard Kaplan, CFII

www.flyimc.com