Flight Instruments Review: Pedal Static, Gyros, Magnetic Compass, and Glass Cockpit

15 practice flashcards covering pedal-static systems, pitot/static effects, gyroscopic instruments, magnetic compass concepts, and glass cockpit systems.

Which instruments are part of the pedal-static system?

Airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator.

If the pitot tube opening is blocked but the drain hole remains open, what happens to indicated airspeed?

Indicated airspeed drops to zero as trapped air escapes through the open drain hole; the diaphragm deflates.

If the static port becomes blocked, what happens to the altimeter and VSI?

Altimeter freezes at the current altitude; VSI shows zero (no rate of change).

What is pitot heat and when is it used?

An electrical heater to prevent ice from forming in the pitot tube; used in cold temps (around 40°F or colder) with visible moisture to keep the tube from freezing.

What is the alternate static source and how does it affect instrument readings?

A cabin air source providing static pressure when the external static port is blocked; altimeter reads slightly higher, airspeed slightly higher, VSI shows a momentary climb.

Name the three gyroscopic instruments used for flight instrumentation.

Attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn coordinator.

What does rigidity in space mean for gyros, and what is precession?

Rigidity in space means the gyro resists changes and stays in its orientation; precession is the 90-degree deflection of the gyro when a force is applied.

What information does the attitude indicator provide?

Shows pitch and bank via a horizon background and a miniature airplane; blue sky, brown ground, with scale marks for bank (degrees) and pitch.

What is the heading indicator and how is magnetic north involved?

Displays directional heading and must be set to magnetic north; uses a gyro to track heading changes but does not know north by itself.

What are the two parts of the turn coordinator and what do they show?

Top: rate-of-turn indicator (standard rate = 3° per second); Bottom: inclinometer (ball) showing coordination in the turn.

How does the magnetic compass operate and what external factors affect it?

A self-contained magnet-based instrument that points to magnetic north; affected by variation (true vs magnetic), deviation (aircraft interference), and magnetic dip (tilt toward the poles).

What is magnetic variation and how do you convert a true course to magnetic?

Variation is the difference between true north and magnetic north. West variation is added; East variation is subtracted when converting true course to magnetic heading.

What is deviation in compass errors and how is it corrected?

Magnetic interference from inside the aircraft; corrected with a deviation card, which varies with heading.

What is magnetic dip and what is ANS?

Dip causes east/west heading errors on east/west headings due to proximity to magnetic north. Accelerating toward north or decelerating toward south (ANS) affects compass on east/west headings.

What are PFD and MFD in a glass cockpit, and what do AHRS and ADC do?

PFD (Primary Flight Display) shows most flight instruments; MFD (Multifunction Display) shows maps, radios, etc. AHRS provides attitude and heading using accelerometers/magnetometer/gyros; ADC provides air data (airspeed, altitude, VSI). If components fail, the screens show Xs, but redundancy allows cross-display on the other screen.