Altronics® - PerformAire Eclipse Weather Station

A density altitude measurement can easily be off many hundred feet when considering a change in the percent of oxygen in the atmosphere. The optional oxygen sensing capability allows the PerformAIRE to measure the percent of oxygen in the atmosphere. By knowing the density and the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere the PerformAIRE can calculate the exact amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, which directly relates to performance. The PerformAIRE computer contains a data base that allows for storage of runs and then uses this data to automatically predict ETs, Throttle Stop Settings, Jet Sizes, etc. The predicted values are continually updated with each new sample of air. The density altitude and oxygen altitude will automatically be stored with each run if an oxygen sensor has been installed. The stored runs are also tagged with a time and date stamp to allow for later referencing. The expandable data base is capable of storing hundreds of runs and will allow those runs to be stored in separate data bases, which can be labeled for specific cars or tracks. 1 run predictions allow for user to use preset or custom ratios for ET and/or Throttle stop predictions and select fuel type. Wind Correction allows predictions to be corrected for wind speed and direction. User can select from multiple car bady types and "tune" the wind effects to the vehicle with adjustable settings. The PerformAIRE computer's data base can be downloaded into a PC. One click of a mouse can download the data directly into a spreadsheet where the runs will be automatically charted showing a visually relationship between your cars performance and the changing atmosphere. This allows for the easy removal of bad runs from a database and more accurate predictions.

Besides all the added features and ease of use, there is one main reason why the PerformAIRE air quality computer is superior to all other weather stations/calculators. First one must ask themselves, what is the most important capability a weather station must possess. Hope you would answer the ability to accurately and repeatedly measure the atmosphere one is racing in. A weather station without this quality is useless. Detecting small changes in the atmosphere or using inaccurate measurements can be the difference between winning and losing. As little as a 100 foot change in density altitude can noticeably change the performance of an automobile. Most racers do not realize that a minor change in the atmosphere can equate to a major change in density or oxygen altitude. On average, a 1degree change in temperature, a 0.1 inHg change in pressure, a 10% change in humidity, or a 0.1% change in oxygen can be more than a 100 foot change in altitude. Instruments being used in other weather stations have variables that make it impossible to measure the atmosphere at a level needed to predict the performance of a racecar. These inaccuracies can stem from a personos inability to correctly distinguish what the instrument is reading, the effect temperature has on the instrument, and the instruments accuracy/repeatability ratings.