From simple beepers to full-spec flight computers here’s what you need to know, writes Marcus King
Instruments range from simple beepers to all-singing, all-dancing navigation tools with lots of inbuilt functions and connectivity to online services. They can be confusing, especially if you are not technically minded, but instruments are based on one or more of these basic blocks.
The vario
This block used to use simple changes in air pressure to tell you how fast you are going up or down. But varios now use clever algorithms to do the same job but better. They take data from various sensors, including pressure sensors, accelerometers and magnetometers, to give more accurate information and a faster response. The information is then either beeped at you or displayed on a screen, if the instrument has one.
Depending on the instrument you may be able to customise...
