I wrote:

> > The primary advantage of laser gyros over mechanical gyros is
> > that lasers don't drift over time... This makes them suitable
> > for use in aircraft, etc.

and Mark A. Corio <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> replied

> I do not know much about mechanical (or laser) gyros but lasers DO
> drift with time, temperature and most other environmental
> conditions.

Yeah, ok... After I wrote that, I KNEW that I should have rephrased
it.

What I should have said is, "Laser gyros don't drift AS MUCH as
mechanical gyros, if everything else (including cost and size)
remains equal.  If cost and packaging is no issue, mechanical gyros
perform better than laser gyros."

Other advantages are that laser gyros require no startup time and
consume much less power than mechanical gyros.

Also, before anyone points out the OTHER minor inaccuracy in my last
message... Yes, I know that what I described was an IFOG
(Interferometric Fiber Optoc Gyro), and that IFOG isn't a synonym
for RLG (Ring Laser Gyro).

Just found out, by the way, that there are new technologies that
improve upon certain aspects of the RLG and IFOG... RFOGs (Resonance
Fiber Optic Gyros), for instance, have significant cost, size, and
power advantages over the RLG, IFOG, and mechanical gyros.

-Andy

Andrew Warren - fastfwd@ix.netcom.com
Fast Forward Engineering, Vista, California
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/2499