Smaller, Lighter Digital Versions of Classic Steam Gauges Save Weight, Cost, & Maintenance
Jim Turner, General Manager of Kelly Manufacturing of Wichita, Kansas, manufacturers of the RC Allen line of flight instruments, discussed the development of the company’s digital instruments beginning with the RCA2600 attitude indicator unveiled in 2008.
The digital instrument looked a lot like the original electromechanical version, and it was long and fit into the same spot in the panel. The first update of this instrument was a shorter, compact body that is used on all RCA instruments today.
The next instrument, the RCA2610, was a combination of the attitude and digital turn-and-slip indicator with digital rate-of-turn. It also provided a pitch sync option and an internal backup battery, as well as updated electronics and improved graphics.
The RCA1510 digital heading indicator was the next in the digital product line, offering ground track and magnetic heading, with customizable options and internal backup battery. It also has an internal magnetometer, making RC Allen the only company offering the instrument with an internal magnetometer and it has GPS inputs as well.
In 2022, RC Allen introduced the all-in-one MINI6 that has attitude, heading, altimeter, airspeed, vertical speed, turn-and-slip, and it’s so simple all it needs is power, ground, and pitot-static connections.
RC Allen is now introducing its latest offering – the RCA8310 digital turn & bank indicator and turn coordinator. So it is two instruments in one but it’s actually three separate instruments because they can be switched from showing two-minute turns to four-minute turns, with or without doghouses. The selection of either two- or four-minute turn must be made on the ground, not in the air.
