IO540, what do you mean by all development being at the VFR-end only?
Are you talking about the VLA aircraft or development in general?
I would argue that Diamond, Cirrus and Lancair as well as Evektor are targeting IFR capability en mass, but hey, I'm just an amateur.
With regards to engines it is a sad fact that a 40 year old engine is considered more reliable than 21st century magic, but that must be a consequence of ZERO development in aero engines over said 40 years.
What's to say 40 years from now diesels and mogas burners aren't considered reliable? And I'm pretty sure statistics weren't that great 30-40 years ago. Would you have flown IFR in 1950?
Serious IFR is best done with a turbine up front or behind in any case, and for that there's always the Meridian, Extra500, TBM850, Eclipse, D-JET, Grob G140 and 160 and ...
Mind you, I spend most my IFR time in a Commander or Piper - hoping for TP soon!
