The Hawkeye Blue series of inexpensive borescopes by Gradient Lens (www.hawkeyeblue.com) offers a reasonable compromise between remote visual inspection capability and the high cost of much more comprehensive borescope systems.

The Hawkeye Blue line now includes rigid straight- and swing-prism attachments, all precision-made in Germany, plus a flexible, articulating borescope. Also available is the Hawkeye Hardy Engine Inspection Kit, which includes a 90-degree mirror-based borescope and sells for $1,000.

The basic Blue package includes the battery-powered Hawkeye Nova Light, or users can attach a Hawkeye light source such as the Luxxor for even brighter results.

In trials with the Hawkeye Hardy borescope on a piston engine, I found that the rigid borecope offers a clearer view inside the cylinders. I tried both the more expensive swing-prism 'scope and the Hardy mirror-borescope. Both were quite usefull for viewing the valves at the top of the cylinder and for looking at cylinder walls. The Hardy mirror-borescope delivers a good sharp image, but the mirror must be kept clean or the image will degrade.

I also tried the articulating borescope to inspect the cylinders and found that it is better suited to turbine engine applications where rigid 'scopes can't get inside critical areas. The view through the rigid was usually better than the view through the articulating borescope.

The Hawkeye Blue package with rigid straight and swing-prism borescopes, the Nova Light, and Mini-Maglite in an aluminum carry case costs $1,865 to $3,995, depending on the diameter, length, and field of view desired.

ITI's New Pocket Videoprobe

Instrument Technology (www.scopes.com) has developed what it is calling the "ultimate portable videoscope system." The new system combines field-proven military ruggedness with the feel and finesse of a medical borescope and puts it in a compact, battery-powered package. "This is a totally customer-driven product," explained Jay Mulligan, ITI's general sales manager. "Operators wanted a lightweight system that offered high resolution and the flexibility to easily get into and around engines and airframes." Mulligan pointed out that the new videoscope features 120-degree four-way articulation, ITI's ProTecht overtorquing system, electronic zoom, digital image storage capability, and internal illumination. "Now customers have a unit that is truly convenient and portable that still offers the capabilities of the big, bulky systems," he said. Mulligan said current pricing for the new mini videoscope system is around $20,000.