Don Norris wrote:
I also like this idea, but ... perhaps you could attain the desired altitude via the altimeter, then slect "this altitude" and tell me when I deviate a predefined altitude - I'd like 200', you might like 300', etc.
Similar to a thought that I had for altitude monitoring. I was imagining an iFly instrument that works just like the Cruise Control on your car. You guide the airplane to a desired altitude by reference to the certified altimeter, then tap the iFLy instrument to let it start monitoring deviations from that value. The tool would not display a baro altitude number, but rather only the + or - gps altitude changes relative to a gps reference altitude that you identified with your tap. Three examples of alerts in different states here.
When you do tap, the instrument could pop up a short menu showing you the current set of deviation limits and giving you a means to adjust them (either by numeric entry or +/- buttons), or maybe cancel a previously armed alert, keep previous alert altitude, or exit the menu, and allowing you to configure what happens when a limit is busted. Then if you don't tap anything on the menu within 2 or 3 seconds, the menu disappears automatically, and the monitoring acts on the last known setup. Another part of the pop-up menu could show the altitude setpoint (GPS by default) that you are monitoring, but perhaps allow you to enter the certified Altimeter value that you were reading when you tapped; these altitude numbers don't need to display, but when you tap, you could see a reminder of what your setup is.
Would be great for enroute or anytime you level off by reference to the altimeter.