6.
Basic Aircraft Flying stalling speed with flaps and landing
gear deployed. The yellow band
Instruments indicates that you are travelling faster
than the aircraft is designed for. This is
Airspeed Indicator
known as the caution range, and ends
The Airspeed Indicator, or ASI, displays
with a red bar. Anything beyond this
the aircraft’s indicated air speed, or how
red bar is beyond the aircraft’s
fast it is travelling through the air. The
maximum safe speed and should be
ASI in most aircraft displays the speed
avoided.
in Knots, but yours may be different and
show Miles per Hour.
Attitude Indicator (Artificial Horizon)
The Artificial Horizon, or Attitude
You will see that the instrument has a
Indicator, is a useful cockpit instrument
number of different colors in a band
if you ever find yourself in conditions
around the speed numbers. These are
that preclude you from full visual
important and tell you important
flying, such as when caught in cloud or
information about safety of the aircraft.
when doing instrument flying in
The green band indicates normal safe
obscured visibility. It gives you an
operating speeds for flight. The start of
instant, truthful indication as to whether
this band is known as Vs1, or the
your aircraft is turning, climbing or
stalling speed with flaps up. The white
descending, and should be trusted over
band indicates a safe speed to deploy
all other senses if you are disorientated
wing flaps. Never do this when your
or lost. The instrument shows a basic
speed is greater than the white band as
view of your aircraft and wings, and the
it may damage your flaps. The start of
horizon. If the aircraft is turning, the
this band is known as Vs0, or the
wings will tilt in relation to the horizon. Vertical Speed Indicator
If the aircraft is descending, the aircraft
will move below the horizon, and if
climbing it will be above the horizon.
The markings around the edge of the
attitude indicator show the angle of
bank as an additional reference when
turning the aircraft in non-visual
conditions.
Altimeter
A Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI), also
known as a Rate of Climb and Descent
Indicator (RCDI) is an instrument which
indicates the rate of climb or descent of
an aircraft.
Turn Coordinator
One of the simplest instruments to
understand, the Altimeter displays your
aircraft’s current altitude. The large
hand indicates hundreds of feet, whilst
the small hand indicates thousands of
feet. Also on this instrument is your
pressure setting, which should be
adjusted as directed by air traffic control
to the current QNH or QFE in the area
you are operating. If you alter this, you
will notice your altitude change in line The turn coordinator, as the name
with that pressure setting, and it is of suggests, shows the level of bank of
vital importance to do this in order to your wings by tilting the small plane left
maintain safe separation from other or right. What appears like straight and
aircraft.
level flight to your eyes may actually be speed up or slow down as it turns. It
a turn when you reference this clearly marks headings in 30 degree
instrument, even in good visibility. The intervals, with N, S, E and W also
markings on the edge of the indicator marked.
show the rate of turn, with the first You will notice a small knob underneath
mark indicating straight-and-level, and this instrument. The Direction Indicator
the second mark Rate 1. You can use is prone to getting out of sync quite
this to time a turn if you want to make a easily, as it is influenced by forces of
new heading (useful if you need to movement and vibration. Therefore you
make a 180 degree U-turn) – simply must correctly align this instrument
bank the aircraft until the wings on the regularly by referencing the magnetic
turn coordinator line up with the Rate 1 compass. Do this before taking off, and
mark. Then time the number of seconds regularly during flight when the wings
you have been turning. It takes 30 are level and your speed is steady.
seconds to turn 90 degrees, 1 minute to
turn 180 degrees, or 2 minutes to do a Principle of Air Speed Indicator
full 360 degree turn.
The airspeed indicator works by
Heading Indicator or Directional Gyro comparing dynamic pressure (ram air
(Gyroscope) pressure) and static pressure.
The airspeed indicator is part of the
pitot-static system, a differential
pressure system that measures both
dynamic air pressure from the pitot tube
and static pressure from a static port.
Inside the casing of the instrument is a
sealed diaphragm that receives both
static and dynamic pressure from the
pitot tube.
Static pressure is also measured from
inside the casing but outside of the
The heading indicator shows the entire
diaphragm. The static pressures from
compass range in one view, spinning as
both inside and outside of the
you turn to show your current heading.
diaphragm cancel each other out,
It doesn’t suffer from external forces like
leaving a measurement of total dynamic
the magnetic compass, and does not
pressure, or ram air pressure.
As the airplane accelerates, the dynamic
pressure from the pitot tube increases,
causing the diaphragm to expand.
Through mechanical linkage, this
measurement of increased airspeed is
shown in the airspeed indicator needle.
Altimeter Principle
ASI Principle
Principle of the Altimeter
Altimeters are aneroid barometers
calibrated to indicate altitude instead of
pressure. It is based on the principle of
decrease of atmospheric pressure with
gain in altitude. The sealed diaphragms
inside the casing expand and contract
with increase and decrease in altitude
respectively. This expansion is
magnified with the help of gears and
levers to move the indicator over the
dial.