I learned a great deal from this thread, especially all the references
cited.
Thanks to everyone for contributing.

I think I may build the Jeff Shultz circuit,
with 8 segments if bar LED, plus a red and yellow bar-like LED.

However, I am not quite sure Shulz's logic of the lights is what I
want.

The display logic that makes sense to me is this:
in cruise many green LED are lit (could be 5-8), All greens
at this point, no yellow or red lit. These progressively
go out as the nose is lifted. Then the yellow comes on...with no
greens lit
then the red comes on. I guess the yellow can stay on when the red is
lit.
might want to make the red flash.

a job for a PIC?

-Jeff