Lesson 16: Aircraft

Instrument Systems
 Classification Of Instruments

• Flight Instruments

• Engine Instruments

• Auxiliary Instruments
 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.
 Pitot-static System

• Dynamic Air Pressure - Pressure caused by moving

air.

• Ambient Static Air Pressure - Pressure of non-

moving air just outside the aircraft.
Pitot-static System
Pitot Head
Pitot Head
Flush Static Port
 Airspeed Indicator

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

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

Gyroscopic Instruments
 Gyroscopic Instruments
• Turn coordinator

• Attitude indicator

• Heading indicator
 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.
 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.
 Sources Of Power

• Gyroscopes may be operated by electrical power or

by a vacuum (suction) system.
Sources Of Power
 Attitude Indicator

• Vacuum powered instrument which senses pitching

and rolling movements about the airplanes lateral
and longitudinal axes.
Attitude Indicator
Attitude Indicator
 Directional Gyro

• Vacuum powered
instrument which
senses yaw
movement of the
airplane about the
vertical axis.

• Horizontal card
directional gyro
 Directional Gyro

• Vertical
card
directional
gyro
 Rate Gyros

• Turn And Slip Indicator

• Turn Coordinator

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