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Flight instruments

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191:(inHg) are used. The altimeter is adjustable for local barometric pressure which must be set correctly to obtain accurate altitude readings, usually in either feet or meters. As the aircraft ascends, the capsules expand and the static pressure drops, causing the altimeter to indicate a higher altitude. The opposite effect occurs when descending. With the advancement in aviation and increased altitude ceiling, the altimeter dial had to be altered for use both at higher and lower altitudes. Hence when the needles were indicating lower altitudes i.e. the first 360-degree operation of the pointers was delineated by the appearance of a small window with oblique lines warning the pilot that he or she is nearer to the ground. This modification was introduced in the early sixties after the recurrence of air accidents caused by the confusion in the pilot's mind. At higher altitudes, the window will disappear. 329: 434: 38: 253: 546:(CDI), Omnibearing Selector (OBS), TO/FROM indicator, and Flags. The CDI shows an aircraft's lateral position in relation to a selected radial track. It is used for orientation, tracking to or from a station, and course interception. On the instrument, the vertical needle indicates the lateral position of the selected track. A horizontal needle allows the pilot to follow a glide slope when the instrument is used with an ILS. 357: 592: 287: 167: 208: 397: 534: 759: 563: 638:
Most US aircraft built since the 1940s have flight instruments arranged in a standardized pattern called the "T" arrangement. The attitude indicator is in the top center, airspeed to the left, altimeter to the right and heading indicator under the attitude indicator. The other two, turn-coordinator
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next to it or integrated with the PFD. The indicated airspeed, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator are displayed as moving "tapes" with the indicated airspeed to the left of the horizon and the altimeter and the vertical speed to the right in the same layout as in most older style "clock
299:, or the difference between magnetic and true direction, and Deviation, caused by the electrical wiring in the aircraft, which requires a Compass Correction Card. Additionally, the compass is subject to Dip Errors. While reliable in steady level flight it can give confusing indications when 579:(RMI). An RMI is remotely coupled to a gyrocompass so that it automatically rotates the azimuth card to represent aircraft heading. While simple ADF displays may have only one needle, a typical RMI has two, coupled to different ADF receivers, allowing for 353:(°). The attitude indicator is a primary instrument for instrument flight and is also useful in conditions of poor visibility. Pilots are trained to use other instruments in combination should this instrument or its power fail. 80:, heading and much more other crucial information in flight. They improve safety by allowing the pilot to fly the aircraft in level flight, and make turns, without a reference outside the aircraft such as the horizon. 736:
trainer, and minimized the type-conversion difficulties associated with blind flying, since a pilot trained on one aircraft could quickly become accustomed to any other if the instruments were identical.
413:, which must be periodically corrected by calibrating the instrument to the magnetic compass. In many advanced aircraft (including almost all jet aircraft), the heading indicator is replaced by a 639:
and vertical-speed, are usually found under the airspeed and altimeter, but are given more latitude in placement. The magnetic compass will be above the instrument panel, often on the
265:, or rate of climb indicator) senses changing air pressure, and displays that information to the pilot as a rate of climb or descent in feet per minute, meters per second or knots. 220:
is the currently most used unit, but kilometers per hour is sometimes used instead. The airspeed indicator works by measuring the ram-air pressure in the aircraft's
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These include the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) and Attitude Director Indicator (ADI). The HSI combines the magnetic compass with navigation signals and a
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the arrangement was changed to: (top row) airspeed, artificial horizon, altimeter, (bottom row) turn and bank indicator, heading indicator, vertical speed.
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became the first pilot to take off, fly and land an airplane using instruments alone, without a view outside the cockpit. In 1937, the British
796: 1189: 664: 105: 1174: 709: 120: 104:), direction (directional gyro) and rate of turn indicator, plus a slip-skid indicator, adjustable altimeter, and a clock. Flight into 119:
as a whole, in which context it can include engine instruments, navigational and communication equipment. Many modern aircraft have
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The altimeter shows the aircraft's altitude above sea-level by measuring the difference between the pressure in a stack of
1225: 1230: 1005: 127: 1133: 1123: 791: 572: 543: 303:, climbing, descending, or accelerating due to the inclination of the Earth's magnetic field. For this reason, the 518:. The ADI is an Attitude Indicator with computer-driven steering bars, a task reliever during instrument flight. 507: 1148: 689: 663:(RAF) chose a set of six essential flight instruments which would remain the standard panel used for flying in 620: 245: 1036: 1092: 733: 683: 443: 426: 368: 97: 1194: 769: 762: 576: 555: 341:) shows the aircraft's relation to the horizon. From this the pilot can tell whether the wings are level ( 300: 916: 409:, and with respect to magnetic north when set with a compass. Bearing friction causes drift errors from 406: 42: 442:
These include the Turn-and-Slip Indicator and the Turn Coordinator, which indicate rotation about the
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The heading indicator (also known as the directional gyro, or DG) displays the aircraft's heading in
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This basic six set, also known as a "six pack", was also adopted by commercial aviation. After the
459: 455: 379:-driven computer with wind and glide data, driving two electronic variometer displays to the right. 360: 328: 147: 131: 81: 980:
A history of how aircraft instrumentation was developed with an emphasis on the gyro horizon. 2007
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which give the pilot information about the aircraft's attitude, airspeed, and altitude.
356: 228:(IAS) must be corrected for nonstandard pressure and temperature in order to obtain the 1102: 861:, US Dept. of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Flight Standards Service 725: 591: 467: 350: 307:
is also used for aircraft operation, but periodically calibrated against the compass.
286: 1219: 1179: 816: 811: 753: 644: 417:(HSI) which provides the same heading information, but also assists with navigation. 229: 184: 295:
The compass shows the aircraft's heading relative to magnetic north. Errors include
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The airspeed indicator shows the aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air.
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capsules inside the altimeter and the atmospheric pressure obtained through the
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Most regulated aircraft have these flight instruments as dictated by the US
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instruments the layout of the displays conform to the basic T arrangement.
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This panel arrangement was incorporated into all RAF aircraft built to
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system. The most common unit for altimeter calibration worldwide is
909:"Instrument Planning: The New Service Blind-Flying Panel Described" 575:(ADF) indicator instrument can be a fixed-card, movable card, or a 562: 345:) and if the aircraft nose is pointing above or below the horizon ( 355: 65: 36: 787:
ICAO recommendations on use of the International System of Units
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In glass cockpits the flight instruments are shown on monitors.
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with data about the flight situation of that aircraft, such as
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use air pressure differences to determine speed and altitude.
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Current Practice in Instrument Panel Layout – Aero Digest
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heavy bombers, but not the earlier light single-engined
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Aircraft instrument that gives information during flight
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Aviation's Crazy, Mixed Up Units of Measure - AeroSavvy
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Attitude indicator § Attitude Direction Indicator
466:. The turn rate is most commonly expressed in either 349:). Attitude is always presented to users in the unit 130:, Title 14, Part 91. They are grouped according to 115:
The term is sometimes used loosely as a synonym for
100:(IFR) additionally require a gyroscopic pitch-bank ( 1157: 1111: 1068: 1035: 626:Most aircraft are equipped with a standard set of 367:Instrument panel equipped for "cloud flying". The 96:or other suitable magnetic direction indicator. 187:(hPa), except for North America and Japan where 859:Instrument Flying Handbook, 2001, FAA-H-8083-15 527:Very-High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 112:instruments for precise takeoffs and landings. 1013: 595:Six basic instruments in a light twin-engine 224:relative to the ambient static pressure. The 8: 939:"Six Pack - The Primary Flight Instruments" 506:. The navigation information comes from a 1020: 1006: 998: 978:The Gyro Horizon Enables Instrument Flying 970:Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge 337:The attitude indicator (also known as an 757: 667:(IMC) for the next 20 years. They were: 599:arranged in a "basic-T". From top left: 590: 542:The VOR indicator instrument includes a 886:. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 46. 828: 854: 852: 797:Acronyms and abbreviations in avionics 850: 848: 846: 844: 842: 840: 838: 836: 834: 832: 7: 1190:Integrated standby instrument system 907:Williamson, G. W. (19 August 1937). 702:directional gyro / heading indicator 665:instrument meteorological conditions 121:electronic flight instrument systems 106:instrument meteorological conditions 989:, March 1944, pp. 116–123/192. 643:centerpost. In newer aircraft with 450:to indicate if the aircraft is in 25: 686:(turn direction and coordination) 550:Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) 261:The VSI (also sometimes called a 1165:Air data inertial reference unit 984:"How Aircraft Instruments Work." 964:Instrument Flying Handbook 2012 462:. Additional marks indicate a 1129:Horizontal situation indicator 1088:Horizontal situation indicator 941:. LearnToFly.ca. 13 March 2010 774:horizontal situation indicator 492:Horizontal situation indicator 415:horizontal situation indicator 1: 915:. p. 193. Archived from 763:Primary Flight Display (PFD) 128:Code of Federal Regulations 56:are the instruments in the 1257: 1134:Inertial navigation system 1124:Course deviation indicator 792:Index of aviation articles 751: 573:Automatic direction finder 553: 544:Course deviation indicator 495: 489: 424: 387: 319: 277: 243: 198: 157: 26: 882:Mark Natola, ed. (2002). 690:vertical speed indicator 621:vertical speed indicator 577:Radio magnetic indicator 246:Vertical speed indicator 240:Vertical speed indicator 27:Not to be confused with 1093:Turn and slip indicator 712:from 1938, such as the 684:turn and bank indicator 486:Flight director systems 427:Turn and slip indicator 369:turn and bank indicator 134:, compass systems, and 98:Instrument flight rules 1241:Navigational equipment 1195:Primary flight display 770:Primary flight display 765: 710:official specification 623: 583:using one instrument. 566: 556:Non-directional beacon 537: 437: 400: 380: 332: 290: 256: 211: 170: 146:Instruments which are 50: 1236:Measuring instruments 884:Boeing B-47 Stratojet 761: 698:(attitude indication) 594: 565: 536: 436: 399: 359: 331: 289: 255: 210: 169: 43:Slingsby T-67 Firefly 40: 1226:Aircraft instruments 1144:Satellite navigation 730:Handley Page Halifax 722:Supermarine Spitfire 522:Navigational systems 148:pitot-static systems 142:Pitot-static systems 748:Further development 446:. They include an 371:is top centre. The 361:Schempp-Hirth Janus 132:pitot-static system 117:cockpit instruments 82:Visual flight rules 54:Flight instruments 1231:Display technology 1119:Aircraft periscope 1078:Attitude indicator 1050:Airspeed indicator 1029:Flight instruments 766: 696:artificial horizon 678:airspeed indicator 628:flight instruments 624: 605:attitude indicator 601:airspeed indicator 567: 538: 464:Standard rate turn 452:Coordinated flight 438: 401: 381: 339:artificial horizon 333: 322:Attitude indicator 316:Attitude Indicator 311:Gyroscopic systems 291: 257: 236:operation speeds. 226:indicated airspeed 212: 201:Airspeed indicator 195:Airspeed indicator 171: 102:artificial horizon 86:airspeed indicator 51: 1213: 1212: 1083:Heading indicator 692:(feet per minute) 617:heading indicator 444:longitudinal axis 390:Heading indicator 384:Heading indicator 375:is replaced by a 373:heading indicator 305:heading indicator 189:inches of mercury 84:(VFR) require an 64:that provide the 41:The cockpit of a 29:Chosen instrument 18:Flight instrument 16:(Redirected from 1248: 1139:Magnetic compass 1098:Turn coordinator 1022: 1015: 1008: 999: 972:(FAA-H-8083-25A) 951: 950: 948: 946: 935: 929: 928: 926: 924: 904: 898: 897: 879: 873: 868: 862: 856: 742:Second World War 724:, and 4-engined 718:Hawker Hurricane 613:turn coordinator 274:Magnetic compass 110:radio navigation 21: 1256: 1255: 1251: 1250: 1249: 1247: 1246: 1245: 1216: 1215: 1214: 1209: 1185:Head-up display 1153: 1107: 1064: 1031: 1026: 987:Popular Science 960: 955: 954: 944: 942: 937: 936: 932: 922: 920: 919:on 27 July 2014 906: 905: 901: 894: 881: 880: 876: 869: 865: 857: 830: 825: 783: 756: 750: 661:Royal Air Force 657:Jimmy Doolittle 653: 636: 589: 581:position fixing 558: 552: 529: 524: 500: 494: 488: 429: 423: 392: 386: 324: 318: 313: 282: 276: 271: 269:Compass systems 248: 242: 203: 197: 162: 156: 144: 45:two-seat light 35: 32: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1254: 1252: 1244: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1218: 1217: 1211: 1210: 1208: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1161: 1159: 1158:Related topics 1155: 1154: 1152: 1151: 1146: 1141: 1136: 1131: 1126: 1121: 1115: 1113: 1109: 1108: 1106: 1105: 1103:Turn indicator 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1074: 1072: 1066: 1065: 1063: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1041: 1039: 1033: 1032: 1027: 1025: 1024: 1017: 1010: 1002: 996: 995: 990: 981: 975: 966: 959: 958:External links 956: 953: 952: 930: 899: 892: 874: 863: 827: 826: 824: 821: 820: 819: 814: 809: 804: 799: 794: 789: 782: 779: 752:Main article: 749: 746: 726:Avro Lancaster 706: 705: 699: 693: 687: 681: 675: 652: 649: 635: 632: 588: 585: 569: 568: 554:Main article: 551: 548: 540: 539: 528: 525: 523: 520: 496:Main article: 490:Main article: 487: 484: 440: 439: 425:Main article: 422: 421:Turn indicator 419: 407:compass points 403: 402: 388:Main article: 385: 382: 335: 334: 320:Main article: 317: 314: 312: 309: 293: 292: 278:Main article: 275: 272: 270: 267: 259: 258: 244:Main article: 241: 238: 214: 213: 199:Main article: 196: 193: 173: 172: 158:Main article: 155: 152: 143: 140: 108:(IMC) require 78:vertical speed 33: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1253: 1242: 1239: 1237: 1234: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1223: 1221: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1180:Glass cockpit 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1162: 1160: 1156: 1150: 1147: 1145: 1142: 1140: 1137: 1135: 1132: 1130: 1127: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1116: 1114: 1110: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1076: 1075: 1073: 1071: 1067: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1042: 1040: 1038: 1034: 1030: 1023: 1018: 1016: 1011: 1009: 1004: 1003: 1000: 994: 991: 988: 985: 982: 979: 976: 973: 971: 967: 965: 962: 961: 957: 940: 934: 931: 918: 914: 910: 903: 900: 895: 889: 885: 878: 875: 872: 867: 864: 860: 855: 853: 851: 849: 847: 845: 843: 841: 839: 837: 835: 833: 829: 822: 818: 817:Glass cockpit 815: 813: 812:Control stand 810: 808: 805: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 784: 780: 778: 775: 771: 764: 760: 755: 754:Glass cockpit 747: 745: 743: 738: 735: 731: 727: 723: 719: 715: 711: 703: 700: 697: 694: 691: 688: 685: 682: 679: 676: 673: 670: 669: 668: 666: 662: 658: 651:Early history 650: 648: 646: 645:glass cockpit 642: 634:T arrangement 633: 631: 629: 622: 618: 614: 610: 606: 602: 598: 593: 586: 584: 582: 578: 574: 564: 560: 559: 557: 549: 547: 545: 535: 531: 530: 526: 521: 519: 517: 513: 509: 505: 499: 493: 485: 483: 481: 477: 473: 469: 465: 461: 457: 453: 449: 445: 435: 431: 430: 428: 420: 418: 416: 412: 408: 398: 394: 393: 391: 383: 378: 374: 370: 366: 362: 358: 354: 352: 348: 344: 340: 330: 326: 325: 323: 315: 310: 308: 306: 302: 298: 288: 284: 283: 281: 273: 268: 266: 264: 254: 250: 249: 247: 239: 237: 235: 231: 230:true airspeed 227: 223: 219: 209: 205: 204: 202: 194: 192: 190: 186: 182: 178: 168: 164: 163: 161: 153: 151: 149: 141: 139: 138:instruments. 137: 133: 129: 124: 122: 118: 113: 111: 107: 103: 99: 95: 91: 87: 83: 79: 75: 71: 67: 63: 59: 55: 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Retrieved 933: 921:. Retrieved 917:the original 912: 902: 883: 877: 866: 767: 739: 714:Miles Master 707: 654: 637: 627: 625: 570: 541: 501: 448:inclinometer 441: 404: 338: 336: 294: 260: 215: 185:hectopascals 174: 145: 125: 114: 53: 52: 777:cockpits". 504:Glide slope 474:(deg/s) or 1220:Categories 1205:Yaw string 1070:Gyroscopic 1060:Variometer 945:31 January 893:0764316702 823:References 734:Tiger Moth 641:windscreen 482:(min/tr). 454:, or in a 411:precession 263:variometer 222:pitot tube 136:gyroscopic 1055:Machmeter 1045:Altimeter 802:Dashboard 704:(degrees) 672:altimeter 655:In 1929, 609:altimeter 512:Localizer 297:Variation 160:Altimeter 154:Altimeter 90:altimeter 1200:V speeds 781:See also 597:airplane 92:, and a 74:airspeed 70:altitude 62:aircraft 47:airplane 807:Cockpit 680:(knots) 476:minutes 468:degrees 351:degrees 301:turning 280:Compass 177:aneroid 94:compass 58:cockpit 913:Flight 890:  674:(feet) 619:, and 587:Layout 472:second 365:glider 181:static 60:of an 923:3 May 514:, or 347:pitch 218:Knots 88:, an 66:pilot 1175:EFIS 1170:ECAM 1149:SIGI 974:2008 947:2011 925:2024 888:ISBN 728:and 571:The 516:GNSS 480:turn 478:per 470:per 460:Skid 456:Slip 343:roll 234:flap 508:VOR 458:or 377:GPS 363:-C 1222:: 911:. 831:^ 720:, 716:, 615:, 611:, 607:, 603:, 123:. 76:, 72:, 1021:e 1014:t 1007:v 949:. 927:. 896:. 510:/ 31:. 20:)

Index

Flight instrument
Chosen instrument

Slingsby T-67 Firefly
airplane
cockpit
aircraft
pilot
altitude
airspeed
vertical speed
Visual flight rules
airspeed indicator
altimeter
compass
Instrument flight rules
artificial horizon
instrument meteorological conditions
radio navigation
cockpit instruments
electronic flight instrument systems
Code of Federal Regulations
pitot-static system
gyroscopic
pitot-static systems
Altimeter

aneroid
static
hectopascals

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