Flight Instruments

OBJECTIVE

• To develop the pilot’s understanding of the flight instruments and their operation and use.

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ELEMENTS

• Pitot-Static 
  
• Airspeed Indicator 
  
• Altimeter 
  
• Vertical Speed Indicator 
  
• Gyroscopic 
  
• Attitude Indicator 
  
• Heading Indicator 
  
• Turn Coordinator and Ball 
  
• Magnetic Compass 
  
• Electric 
  
• Attitude Indicator 
  
• Horizontal Situation Indicator 
  
• Primary Flight Display 
  
• Air Data Computer 
  
• Altitude Heading Reference System 
  

COMPLETION STANDARDS

• This lesson is complete when the pilot demonstrates a basic understanding of the flight instruments and related systems during oral quizzing. 

COMMON ERRORS

• Failure to maintain aircraft instruments 
  
• Accepting aircraft with instrument problems 
  

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Compass Issues
  
• Variation 
  
• Deviation 
  
• Magnetic Dip 
  
• Oscillation 
  
• Northerly Turning Error 
  
• Cold/Hot Story 
  
• (UNOS) Undershoot North, Overshoot South 
  
• Acceleration/Deceleration 
  
• (ANDS) Accelerate North, Decelerate South 

• Paper Cup 
  
• Lead and Lag in the A.I. 
  
• Step on the ball 
  
• Calibrated Leak on the VSI 
  
• PFD and backup instruments 
  
• MEMS/AHRS vs. Gyros vs. Magnetic Fields 
  
• Flight Instruments MUST be working to survive spatial disorientation 
  
• T.C. has dampening, over and under dampening can be fatal. 
  
• PFD in general aviation aircraft are susceptible to pitot-static failures. 
  

STUDY

• “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge” Ch. 7