= fly (file) IFR flight plans and never fly into IMC = marginal foggy area all summer
= visibility is slightly under VFR = use IFR designated flight routes ++++++++++++++++++++ John puts the matter into perspective - IFR does not always mean heading into hard QBI. So many of my flights end 15 minutes after dark and during the summer months we often need to drop through 1000' of gentle cumulus to get home. Besides that, even with the required level of respect for the weather and the very best of intentions, sooner or later you will run out of blue sky (or day light). Folks that use their airplanes purely for fun around home base can probably ignore this, but if you often fly cross country the odds change. I had an in depth look at the Dynon EFIS including a discussion with their technical guy - I think it is a Godsend for home builders from a cost /weight /facilities perspective. The solid state gyros are pretty solid and the overall system should be as reliable as any other piece of modern avionics or electronics. Over the last 35 years I have had loads more grief from vacuum pumps and gyro instruments than I have ever had with a radio /ADF /Xponder /Hi-fi /VDU or a $19.99 walkman. Over that time the electronic stuff has become even lighter, better, cheaper and even MORE reliable - the steam gauges are still exactly what they were then. Redundancy is obviously first prize, but we don't really have that anyway - singles generally only have one vac pump - when that fails the AH and DI go out the window leaving you with a compass and the electric T&B. If the electrical system quits as well- you have now't. Don't think that this does not happen. The Dynon power requirement is typical of modern electronics - it will happily keep you well informed for a few hours on backup from the smallest of Gel Cells. The unit is designed to switch to a reserve battery - so no wizardry is required from us. Totalling the costs of a modest steam gauge panel layout with the associated vac kit makes the Dynon sound pretty good to me. A Glass cockpit KR for the same or less money. As a bonus, the Dynon produces the output needed for an auto pilot (roll and pitch /alt.). I suspect that only a low cost interface is required to drive the pitch and roll control via the trim servos. Take care Steve J
