Mechanical Gauge

Even though a variometer gauge can be displayed on the flight computer, many pilots prefer to have a mechanical vario gauge on the instrument panel. This project implements such an instrument that is compatible to the Openvario flight computer.

The gauge is a proof of concept only and not yet ready for publishing. It uses a stepper motor designed for automotive gauges (see http://guy.carpenter.id.au/gaugette/2012/05/25/buyers-guide/), an Arduino and the SwitecX25 Library provided by Guy Carpenter under a BSD license. An additional LED bargraph will display angle of attack measured by a DIY sensor mounted on the TE probe as an additional safety feature.

Download the firmware.