Gee, the responses so far overwhelmingly favor the EFIS tapes. I?m surprised.
Not sure why you are surprised Tony - just like approach guidance has progressed to GPS (follow the magenta line) from Low Frequency AN ranges (Dit-Dah....Dah-Dit), we've learned a few things over the years with instrument as well.
I have some observations and thoughts:
How easy and natural is it to roll into a coordinated 2 minute turn? Here?s how the turn indicator works on the EFIS tape display:
?The turn rate indicator is displayed as a curved magenta bar along the top, outside curve of the compass rose. The bar grows in the direction that the aircraft is currently turning and is anchored at the arrow of the numeric display. The minor tick marks to the immediate right and left of the numeric display arrow represents a half-standard-rate-turn. The major tick marks to the left and right of the minor tick marks represent a standard turn rate of 3 degrees per second.?
Got that?
It could also be described as "bank the airplane until the magenta bar matches the tick mark". Bad manual writing doesn't mean it is hard to use!
Now compare that with the dial turn coordinator on the six-pack display. Just line the wings of the little airplane up with the mark. Easier? Yes.
How about the VSI on the tape display? You have to look at the arrow, read the number, and double check if it has a ?-? shown as it is hard to tell if it?s up or down without staring at it.
I actually find the number (plus or minus is REALLY quick to interpret) quicker, more accurate, and more stable tan tick marks or needles. YMMV - but try it before you decide.
On the six-pack VSI a quick glance at the needle shows if you are going up or down by the hand position and you don?t even need to read the numbers. Can you tell time by looking at a conventional watch without numbers? Plus you can see the whole range, not just a small segment.
Most of the EFIS VSI's show you a needle as well as a number - pretty quick to see, just like a steam VSI.
And the six-pack airspeed indicator ? nice that pattern airspeed (RV-12) has the needle right at the 3 o-clock position. No need to read the numbers. A quick glance on final tells you are on-speed for landing (not considering AoA here).
Most EFIS's allow you to put a tick mark on the ASI for various speeds - easy to match the "needle" (indicator) to the tick mark - no interpretation needed.
So, do the tapes need less or more reading and interpretation than the dials?
Better or worse? Or just Different? Different isn't Worse - and oftentimes better!
I haven?t voted in the poll yet. Up until my RV-12 with the D-180 all my flying had been with six-pack, except for a G1000 weekend checkout in a Diamond DA40. Then 380 hours with the D-180 and I?m used to looking at tapes. Now with Dynon leading the way with a six-pack display option, I am taking another close look at it. Is that a pun?
Actually, almost all of them have a six-pack display option - but take a look at your poll results for how popular they seem to be. Just saying....
If Garmin and other manufacturers include a six-pack option, would that give it more credibility? I see round gauges presented on big airplane flight decks for the engines now, does that mean the heavy iron PFD EFIS might eventually show round gauges too?