Bob,

 

You are forgetting one thing.  If the power fails, if the computer goes bad, you don’t have an engine.  Levers and switches are there because of reliability.  It is peace of mind that we still have control.

 

If your Toyota stalls, or the engine quits, you can pull over.  Airplanes don’t have it that easy.

 

What other engines do you know (besides a Diesel engine) that produces 310 hp at 2700 RPM?  You don’t run your Toyota 65% or 75% power for hours on end either.  Be careful with blanket comparisons, there are details that easily escape the casual observer.  There is a reason the IO-550 I engineered the way it is.  There are tradeoffs, but they have been done with reliability in mind.

 

Electronic engine control is in the works for certified engines, but it has been that way for a number of years.  Much more testing and work goes into such things for aviation than for automotive.

 

I remember encountering server turbulence over the Denver front range.  Tore the battery from its mount and it flipped over and the acid spilled.  I lost electrical power a few minutes after that.  But my engine still ran….. I’ll stick with levers and switches for now.

 

Kevin

L2K-291