Lesson 16: Aircraft Instrument Systems

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Lesson 16 Aircraft Instrument Systems
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Classification Of Instruments

• Flight Instruments
• Engine Instruments
• Auxiliary Instruments

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Flight Instruments

• Those that help visualize the attitude, location
  and speeds of the aircraft.
• Those which indicate the relationship to the air
  through which we are flying
• Those which relate to our position in space
  without considering the air.

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Pitot-static System

• Dynamic Air Pressure - Pressure caused by moving
  air.
• Ambient Static Air Pressure - Pressure of
  non-moving air just outside the aircraft.

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Pitot-static System
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Pitot Head
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Pitot Head
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Flush Static Port
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Airspeed Indicator

• Differential pressure gauge that measures the
  difference between dynamic and ambient static air
  pressure.

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Airspeed Indicator

• Indicated airspeed
• The speed of an aircraft as shown on the airspeed
  indicator.
• True airspeed
• The speed at which an aircraft is moving relative
  to the surrounding air.
• Calibrated airspeed
• Indicated airspeed of an aircraft, corrected for
  installation and instrument errors.

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Altimeter

• A barometer that measures the absolute pressure
  of the air.

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Altimeter

• Indicated Altitude
• The altitude shown by an altimeter set to current
  altimeter setting.
• Pressure Altitude
• Height above the standard pressure level of 29.92
  in.Hg.
• Density Altitude
• Pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard
  temperature variations.

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Altimeter

• True Altitude
• The actual height of an abject above mean sea
  level.
• Absolute Altitude
• Actual height above the surface of the earth,
  either land or water.

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Vertical Speed Indicator

• The rate of climb indicator
• Serves only as a backup for the altimeter and
  airspeed indicator as a pitch indicating
  instrument.
• Helps the pilot establish a rate of climb or
  descent.

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Blockage Of The Pitot-Static System

• Pitot Tube
• Affects only the airspeed indicator, but a
  clogged static system affects all three
  pitot-static instruments.
• If the pitot tube is blocked and its drain hole
  remains open, the airspeed reading will drop to
  zero.
• If both pitot tube and the drain hole clog, the
  airspeed indicator will react like an altimeter.

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Blockage Of The Pitot-Static System

• Static port
• The indicated airspeed increases as the airplane
  descends and decreases when it climbs.
• The altimeter air pressure in the system will
  not change and neither will your indicated
  altitude.
• VSI continually indicates Zero.

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Gyroscopic Instruments
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Gyroscopic Instruments

• Turn coordinator
• Attitude indicator
• Heading indicator

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Gyroscopic Instruments

• Rigidity In Space Once a gyroscope is spinning,
  it tends to remain in a fixed position in space
  and resist external forces applied to it.

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Gyroscopic Instruments

• Precession The tilting or turning of a gyro in
  response to pressure.
• The reaction to this force occurs in the
  direction of rotation, approximately 90 ahead of
  the point where the force was applied.

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Sources Of Power

• Gyroscopes may be operated by electrical power or
  by a vacuum (suction) system.

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Sources Of Power
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Attitude Indicator

• Vacuum powered instrument which senses pitching
  and rolling movements about the airplanes lateral
  and longitudinal axes.

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Attitude Indicator
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Attitude Indicator
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Directional Gyro

• Vacuum powered instrument which senses yaw
  movement of the airplane about the vertical axis.
• Horizontal card directional gyro

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Directional Gyro

• Vertical card directional gyro

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Rate Gyros

• Turn And Slip Indicator
• Turn Coordinator
• Inclinometer

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Rate Gyros
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Turn Coordinator
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Floating Magnet-type Magnetic Compass
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Engine Instruments
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Engine Instruments