Story ID: 
Mid-Continent 3-Pack Standby Package Goes Digital
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Mid-Continent's new Flex 3-Pack digital instruments are relatively easy to swap with older mechanical two-inch instruments. 
Word Count: 225
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics has created a three-instrument standby package using its Flex two-inch digital instruments. The package replaces Mid-Continent’s mechanical-instrument 3-Pack and was introduced today at the Aircraft Electronics Association Convention in Orlando, Florida.
The Flex 3-Pack includes an attitude indicator, counter-drum encoding altimeter, and airspeed indicator—and all are available in NVIS-compatible versions. Installation approval is available under Mid-Continent’s approved model list supplemental type certificate covering more than 180 aircraft models, and installation is simplified because the Flex instruments fit in the existing two-inch panel hole.
The Flex attitude indicator provides attitude information without GPS, magnetometer, or airspeed input and displays attitude, slip, turn rate, and heading. Features included in the altimeter are user-selectable altitude target, approach minimums alerts, vertical speed, 6-second vertical trend, and barometer setting.
Buyers can select the range markings on the airspeed indicator, and a dynamic Vmo and Mmo barber pole indicator is configurable. Other features include groundspeed and true airspeed provided by external Arinc bus input and user-selectable Mach number display.
All of the Flex instruments are available in the 3-Pack or individually and feature daylight-readable graphics. “They are FAA TSO certified, RTCA DO-160G qualified, and RTCA DO-178C qualified to Design Assurance Level A,” according to Mid-Continent.