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.

Flight instrument grouping: Basic T

The flight controls and instrument panel are in the front of the cockpit.

Flight controls and instrument panels vary, but have the same basic functions.

FLIGHT CONTROLS

The control wheel or yoke is used to steer the airplane in different directions.

Turning Left Side Stick

Straight and Level

Turning Right

Some airplanes have a stick rather than a wheel but it works the same.

FLIGHT CONTROLS

Moving the yoke LEFT or RIGHT moves the ailerons on the wings in opposite directions. One moves UP as the other goes DOWN.

Turning Left

Turning Right

FLIGHT CONTROLS

Pulling back on the yoke moves the elevator on the tail UP, moving the airplane nose UP to climb.

Pushing forward moves the elevator DOWN, moves the nose DOWN to descend.

FLIGHT CONTROLS

Pilots use rudder pedals on the floor to move the rudder LEFT or RIGHT to help the airplane turn.
Brakes are located at the top or toe of the pedal

FLIGHT CONTROLS

There are plenty of things to learn INSIDE THE COCKPIT OF AN AIRPLANE

Pilots use radios to communicate with air traffic control and other pilots. Other radios also are used to navigate using ground stations or satellites.

COMMUNICATION

Most airplanes have a radar transponder that shows their location, speed and altitude to air traffic controllers

An assigned four-digit code helps identify a particular airplane on a controllers radar screen

COMMUNICATION

Fuel Tanks

Where are the fuel tanks in most aircraft?

Usually located in the wings  Vented to allow for changes in pressure inside the tank, prevents vacuum


Fuel Quantity Gauges

Located on the instrument panel Shows the amount of fuel in each fuel tank

Fuel Selector Valve

Allows you to select fuel from various tanks Some may only have Left, Right and OFF must monitor

Questions

Any questions?

The airspeed indicator shows speed through the air --not over the ground.

The pitot tube on the wing catches onrushing air. This ram air is compared to static air to determine air speed.

The static port measures static or still air air that is not affected by the airplanes speed through the air

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

Airspeed Indicator Symbology

White Arc Flap operating Range Green Arc Normal Operations Yellow Arc Caution Area (Only use in smooth air) Red Line Never Exceed Speed

The attitude indicator provides an artificial horizon to show the pilot the airplanes position in relation to the ground.

Here, the airplane is banking left with its nose on the horizon where brown ground meets blue sky.

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

Attitude Director Display: Aircraft Straight and Level

The Flight Director "cross hair" display

Attitude Director Display: Fly Left Command

The altimeter measures air pressure outside the airplane and compares it to air pressure at sea level to determine altitude.

Like the hands of a clock, the long hand shows smaller increments (100s of feet) while the shorter hand shows larger increments (1,000s of feet). This altimeter is reading 1720 feet.

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

The turn coordinator shows if the wings are level or banked. The position of the ball indicates if the airplane is turning properly.

Turn Coordinator

The ball is centered when the turn is balanced by rudder

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

The heading indicator displays the direction of flight.

This airplane is heading south at 175 degrees.

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

The vertical speed indicator uses changes in air pressure to indicate rate of climb or descent.

Airplane is descending at 190 feet per minute

BASIC INSTRUMENTS

Vertical Speed Indicator

Rate of climb and descent Trend will show immediate indication of an increase in the airplanes rate of climb or descent Rate shows a stabilized change in altitude

Horizontal Situation Indicator

The HSI indicates not only the heading but also the selected localizer. The lubber line defines the aircrafts longitudinal axis. The red heading bugprovides the heading for the autopilot The headingis indicated under the lubber line. This fixed aircraft symbol represents the actual aircraft. Like the aircraft it always flies straight forward and is alligned with the lubber line. Rotating the heading knob sets the heading bug. Coupled to an autopilot the heading bug remains under the lubber line and the aircraft flies the selected heading.

Adjustment of an aircraft's heading to compensate for wind flow perpendicular to the ground track

The flight path in relation to the localizer

When the CDI starts moving away from the instrument edge, the aircraft is 2.5 away from the localizer centerline. 1 dot represents a 0.5 deviation (if 5 dots per side are indicated as shown by the HSI fig.). The 2.5 full scale deflection is absolutely mandatory for any instrument maker, how many dots he draws in is left to his own discretion.

Localizer

Needle indicates direction of runway. Centered Needle = Correct Alignment

Glideslope

Needle indicates above/below glidepath. Centered Needle = Correct Glidepath

Correct Glidepath

Descent Cone Runway

Pitot Static System

Pitot Head

Flush Static Port

Pitot Static System

Airspeed Indicator

Uses ram air from the pitot tube as well as static air. Ram air pushes against a diaphragm inside the airspeed indicator, which will then be able to expand or contract accordingly. This movement of the diaphragm is then translated into needle movement.

Airspeed Indicator

If the Pitot tube is blocked and the drain is open, speed will go to zero. If the Pitot tube is blocked and the drain is open, it will act as an altimeter. If the the Static vent is blocked, the airspeed will read higher than it should above altitude where it became blocked and lower than it should below. If all three all blocked, the needle will freeze.

Altimeter

Static Input Only Manufacturer seals the aneroid wafer(s) at a specific pressure. As the static pressure fills in the area around these sealed wafers, they will be able to contract or expand accordingly

Vertical Speed Indicator

Static air enters both the diaphragm and the area around it. However, the air in the diaphragm is constantly updated while the air outside of it is very slowly allowed to escape through a calibrated leak. The instrument measures the difference in these two pressures (the air where you where v. where you are)

Vertical speed indicator Operation

Air moves out
8 7 6 5 4 9 0 1 2 3

Wafers expand
9 0 1 8 7 6 5 4 2 3

Air moves in
8 7

9 0 1 2 3 6 5 4

Wafers contract