Originally Posted by
chevvron
Gazelles are 'old' tech; they entered service with the AAC in '77/'78; the latest equivalent offering from Eurocopter/AB is the EC120 (H120?) although even this is no longer produced.
Also the Gazelles in AAC service had much more basic equipment compared to RAF/RN examples in order to be maintained in the field.
And there is something to be said for "old" tech, it works, it is easy to maintain and it does the job it is designed to do. We are talking military where the aircraft needs to operate in the field possibly in a war situation with not a lot of support. The "Whistling Chicken Leg" as the Army website calls it, still has a place otherwise it would have been gone long ago.
I am still a big fan of steam driven guages BTW and I work on both, A steam driven guage when it goes wrong can be changed or ignored until a replacement comes in, a built in a box with all singing all dancing graphics for everything will need to be pulled out for repair, thus all those intruments that were working on the box are gone as well, and the aircraft is grounded.
I also think there would be a civilian market for them.
BTW, if you want a modernised instrument panel, roomy, seats 5, in an low height, easy access and airy cockpit.
https://www.aviatorsmarket.com/detai...ed-states/6853
