Aircraft General

Knowledge
Session 23
Aircraft Basic Flight Instruments
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Gyroscopic Systems
INSTRUMENTS
Several flight instruments utilize the
properties of a gyroscope for their
operation. To understand how these
instruments operate requires knowledge
of the instrument power systems,
gyroscopic principles, and the
operating principles of each instrument.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Gyroscopic Systems
INSTRUMENTS
The most common instruments
containing gyroscopes are
– Attitude Indicator
– Heading indicator
– Turn indicator
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT What is a gyroscope?
INSTRUMENTS
A gyroscope is a body (usually a
rotor/wheel) rotating freely in one
or more directions that possesses
the gyroscopic properties of
rigidity and precession.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT What is a gyroscope?
INSTRUMENTS
There are two fundamental
properties of gyroscopic action:
▪ Rigidity in space
▪ Precession
Aircraft Flight Instruments

Gyroscope Principle of Operation

The gyro's rigidity property allows it

to remain stable in space while the
aircraft moves around it. Any force
applied to the gyro as a result of the
aircraft changing direction or attitude
around the gyro will precess the gyro.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

This precession is translated into a

movement of the gimbals that are
attached to a direction scale (on the
directional indicators) or an attitude
horizon bar (on the artificial horizon)
that measures and displays the
movement of the aircraft on the
instrument face.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

▪ One gimbal is required for each

axis around which you wish to
measure a precessed
movement.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

In total, a gyroscope can have

three planes of freedom: the spin
axis of the gyroscope and two
other possible planes at right
angles to the gyroscope's spin
axis and each other.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

A gyroscope's rigidity is all-

important and is itself a product
of the spin (drive) speed of the
rotor, which can be
▪ either vacuum (air) or
▪ electrically driven.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

What is gyroscopic wander?

▪ Any movement of the
gyroscope's spin axis away from
its fixed direction is called
wander, and if this occurs, it
gives rise to inaccurate
instrument readings
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Artificial
Horizon

Indicates Aircraft’s pitch and bank attitude

 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT The artificial horizon consists of
INSTRUMENTS
the following:
1. An earth gyroscope.
2. The gyroscope rotates about a
vertical axis.
3. Two gimbals.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT 4. Three planes of freedom
INSTRUMENTS
a. The gyroscope's spin axis.
b. Pitch and roll axis of the
gimbals.
5. The gyroscope's axis is aligned
to the earth's vertical.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS
▪ Simply, the aircraft moves
around the artificial horizon
gyroscope, and the gimbals
measure the aircraft's pitch
and roll maneuvers.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT What errors do an artificial horizon
INSTRUMENTS experience?
1. Turning errors
2. Acceleration errors
3. Real wander of the gyroscope's
spin axis away from its alignment
with the earth's vertical.
Aircraft Flight
Instruments

ARTIFICIAL
HORIZON
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Turn & Slip

Indicator

Indicates Aircraft’s turn direction and quality (coordination)

 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Turn Indicators
INSTRUMENTS
▪ Aircraft use two types of turn
indicators:
– Turn-and-slip indicators and
– Turn coordinators
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ Because of the way the gyro is
INSTRUMENTS
mounted,
– The turn-and-slip indicator
shows only the rate of turn in
degrees per second.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT – The turn coordinator is
INSTRUMENTS
mounted at an angle, so it can
initially show roll rate. When
the roll stabilizes, it indicates
rate of turn.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT There are two marks on each side
INSTRUMENTS
(left and right) of the face of the
instrument.
▪ The first mark is used to
reference a wings level zero rate
of turn.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ The second mark on the left and
INSTRUMENTS right side of the instrument serve
to indicate a standard rate of turn.
▪ A standard-rate turn is defined as a
turn rate of 3° per second. The turn
coordinator indicates only the rate
and direction of turn; it does not
display a specific angle of bank
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ Both instruments indicate turn
INSTRUMENTS
direction and quality
(coordination)
▪ Also serve as a backup source of
bank information in the event
an attitude indicator fails.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ Coordination is achieved by
INSTRUMENTS
referring to the inclinometer,
which consists of a liquid-filled
curved tube with a ball inside
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ The turn and slip indicator is in
INSTRUMENTS
effect two instruments
combined as a single unit.
▪ One measures turn, and the
other measures slip or skid.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ Turn is the movement about the
INSTRUMENTS aircraft's yaw axis (the aircraft's
vertical) that results in a change of
direction.
▪ Slip is a lateral force into the turn.
▪ Skid is a lateral force out of a turn.
Aircraft Flight Instruments

▪ Slip ?
– Rate of turn is too slow for
the angle of bank, ball
moves inside
▪ Skid ?
– Rate of turn is too great for
the angle of bank, ball
moves outside
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Kick the Ball

 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Turn & Slip

Indications
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Turn & Slip

Indications
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
COMPOSITION
1. A rate gyroscope.
2. The gyroscope rotates about a
horizontal axis.
3. One gimbal, which is pivoted about
the aircraft's fore and aft axis that
measures the aircraft's yaw when the
precessed force in this plane of
freedom is sensed.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
COMPOSITION
4. Two planes of freedom:
a. The gyroscope's spin axis.
b. Yaw axis of the gimbals
5. The gyroscope's axis is aligned
to the aircraft's lateral axis.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
COMPOSITION
6. It is powered by electrical
system rather than the vacuum
system, so that in case of failure,
pilot will always have a reference
flight attitude
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
COMPOSITION
What errors does the turn and slip
indicator experience?
The turn indicator gyroscope
suffers from
1. Gyroscope system failures
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
COMPOSITION
2. Looping error. (This is an
inherent design error in the
instrument, and as a result, with
any yaw condition the gyroscope
will tilt.)
3. Real wander of the gyroscope's
spin axis
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT ▪ The turn coordinator only indicates
INSTRUMENTS rate 1 turns accurately and should not
be confused with an artificial horizon
because it displays no attitude
information.
▪ A warning
"No Attitude Information," is often
written on the instrument face
QUESTIONS ?
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Compass Systems
INSTRUMENTS
– Magnetic compass
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

Direction
Indicator

Indicates Aircraft’s direction