Why do they call them "Steam Gauges?"

[Way2Broke]

Is there some history to why they call them "steam gauges?"

 

[DC8 Flyer]

Air powered. Just a slang term for air driven gyros.

 

[Fearless Tower]

The slang probably comes from the shipping world.....steam plants are considered rather archaic compared to diesel or gas turbine power and traditional round dials are viewed by many as old fashioned.

 

[erj-145mech]

Same technology that is used on steam locomotives.

 

[svcta]

I wouldn't over think it; Steam power is just old technology. The same reason we call jets with round dials(steam gauges) rope starters; or the old 737s(or any old jet, depends on where you work) the Jurassic Jet.

 

[A Squared]

Air powered. Just a slang term for air driven gyros.

I don't think that is it. It's generally used in the context of Transport Category aircraft (Glass has only very recently come to GA) and I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find air driven gyros on even very old transports. The DC-6 is all electric gyros, always was. It's more that the round dials with needles (or other mechanical indicators) are considered outmoded technology, like the steam engine, which also had round gauges with pointers.

 

[mzaharis]

Any old steam-powered system is going to have a number of round-dial pressure gauges, of which the old-style aircraft instrumation is reminiscent. The fact that steam power is associated with archaic technology just makes it a bit more perjorative.

http://www.steamtraction.com/article/2005-07-01
http://www.greatsouthbay.com/DDeckPFER.htm

 

[mzaharis]

instrumation

Instrumentation - I wasn't drunk posting - honest!

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Round dials. Like Steam powered machinery like the locomotive.

They're being replaced in many airplanes for:
A. Making life easier on the pilot.
B. Increasing safety.
C Reducing maintenance.

I you picked C then you're correct!!
Finding old parts in increasingly expensive, 4 glass slabs can easily
replace 40 or more steam gauges and have a MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure)
10-100 times less than the older systems.

CE

 

[nosehair]

perjorative.

What!?

 

[Alamanach]

What!?

Perjorative: derisive, insulting.

Somehow I can't buy into this explanation. Could it be that some older technology (and it may well have been steam engines) had steam-powered gages that were similar in operation (not appearance) to the air-driven gages of our airplanes? I don't know, I'm just asking. I've seen "steam gages" used when referring to aircraft instruments, but I can't recall the tone of such usage ever being perjorative.

 

[enigma]

I don't know the exact history of "steam gauge" in it's aviation usage; but if you've ever been in the cab of a steam driven locomotive, you'll understand why we use the term.

I consider the term to refer to the entire cockpit display, not to the individual instrument.

Every town used to have a retired locomotive parked somewhere. Go check it out. Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry has one, as well as the Henry Ford Museum in DTW and the Smithsonian at DC.