My two cents....I feel the weakest link is the planes vacuum system. I've had a vacuum lost in flight, VFR daytime. Real glad it wasn't IFR or night. Happened in 1990. Also have had an alternator failure in flight, day VFR. Not to bad, toasted two radios, transponder and HSI. Happened in 1988 going to Denver at 10500' by Pikes Peak. I felt the lose of Vac. i.r. AI was more demanding a work load than losing Elec. and still have Vac and a working AI.

I installed the Gaurdian II elec. driven vac.pump about 3yrs ago. I turn it on prior to take off on all actual IFR flights. Since then I have installed the Castleberry Elec AI. It replaced my turn coordinator. If the Castleberry Elec AI had been available sooner I probably wouldn't have installed the back vac. pump.

Is it over kill? Not for me. I like having a reliable, keep on flying, back up vac. pump. Having two AI's, one elec and one vac. makes perfect sense to me. My HSI is elec. and I will probably stay with an Elec HSI.

I think one should look at what is safe, comfortable, and within your budget to have as equipment that you require/need to fly cross country IFR, VFR, day or night.

In my trip to CGI and back home, I flew about 7.5 hrs of hard in the clouds IFR with two GPS approaches along the way. Felt very comfortable w/my bird and the way she is equipped....No comments Scott...

Pete Sattig
N114MT 1976 114
Dolores, Colorado