Another Advantage

I was talking with Marc Ausman of VP fame at Golden West this last weekend. I have now figured out yet another advantage that can only be accomplished with Vertical Power.

On the IO-550, there are 2 selections for the electric fuel pump - a) Low boost, really only used for after engine crank up if you need a little shot of fuel to keep things running, or if you have a partial engine driven fuel pump failure; b) high boost, used for priming, in emergency conditions where you have an entire engine driven pump failure;

Where this all comes together however is around emergency opps and what state of flight you are in, and how the little switch in the VP Switch Panel operates. Given a specific state of flight (startup, taxi, takeoff, cruise, etc), you can program the switch to just about control anything and in my case, I could set it up for high boost for prime in pre-start, for low boost for taxi incase I need a little fuel on a cold morning, for high-boost in cruise during first flight, or phase 1, until engine driven pump is proved out, etc. As you can see, the scenarios are limiitless.

NOTE: I've since learned that the capability to on the fly change a switch function will is on the future enhancements lists so you can't quite do what I suggested above, but you may be able in the future.

While this discussion is taking place around the fuel pump, it could be any other piece of equipment in the airplane. Try creating that kind of flexibility with switches or breakers - it would take a rewire for each change and you'd never be able to change it for differing stages of flight.

SECOND NOTE:
Even given that you can't on the fly change a switch function by mode of flight, you still have the flexibility of programming a switch to be function A and then later reprogramming that switch to be funciton B. For example. Perhaps you want the high boost to be on the quick switch on the VP switch panel for first flight, or during phase one, and later, after you have become comfortable that your engine and fuel system is performing correctly, could change that to just be the low boost pump on that switch. Nice flexiblity!

Way to go VP, another plus!