BASIC FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS

ALTIMETER : tells how high the airplane is above the ground.

AIRSPEED INDICATOR : tells how fast the airplane is traveling through the
air.

TACHOMETER : tells how fast the engine is turning or running.

COMPASS : tells the direction the airplane is traveling.

 THE COMPASS

The Magnetic Compass: An aircraft instrument which shows the pilot his direction of flight.

A magnetic compass is designed in such a way that the needle always points to the north,
which is considered to be 0°. The other directions are known in relation to north (0°).

THE COMPASS

The CARDINAL POINTS on the compass are North, South, East, and West.

The distance between the lines on the compass is called a DEGREE.

There are 360 degrees on the compass.

Directions: Fill in the blanks.

THE COMPASS

1. The cardinal points on the compass are , , , and .

2. The distance between the lines on a compass is called a .

3. There are degrees on the compass.

4. Label the cardinal points on the compass pictured above.

Directions: You live in Birmingham. Name the city you will travel to.
Give the direction you must fly to reach the city.

THE COMPASS

1. If you want to see rockets you would fly to . What direction

will you fly?

2. A trip to would take you to the Capitol of Alabama.

What direction will you fly?

3. Car racing at the Alabama International Motor Speedway would take

you to the city of What direction will you fly?
 ALTIMETER

An instrument in an airplane which shows the height (altitude)

of the plane above sea level.

TACHOMETER

A device for counting. It is used to show the number of

revolutions per minute (RPM) of the aircraft engine. An airplane
needs one tachometer for each of its engines.

Air Speed Indicator

An instrument which shows the speed at which an airplane is moving through the air.