Les Instruments

Summary

This video explains the six key instruments found in aircraft: the anemometer, artificial horizon, altimeter, turn-and-slip indicator, heading indicator, and variometer. It covers how each instrument works, including how they measure airspeed, aircraft orientation, altitude, and vertical speed. The video also explores how these instruments help pilots maintain proper flight control and navigate safely, emphasizing the significance of readings like speed, altitude, and turning rate for different flight conditions. Understanding these instruments is essential for safe and efficient flight operations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The anemometer measures the aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air, typically displayed in knots, kilometers per hour, or miles per hour.
• 😀 The anemometer's dial is divided into three arcs: the white arc (landing configuration), the green arc (normal operation), and the yellow arc (air turbulence limitations).
• 😀 The red mark on the anemometer indicates the aircraft's maximum speed limitation, while other arcs define different speed thresholds like stall speed (VS0, VS1), and maximum operation speeds (VNO, VFE).
• 😀 The artificial horizon shows the aircraft's attitude and inclination using a gyroscope, with specific markers for angles such as 10°, 20°, 30°, and 60°.
• 😀 The artificial horizon's design includes a model of the aircraft in the center, which can be adjusted using a knob to show its attitude and inclination.
• 😀 The altimeter measures atmospheric pressure and translates it into altitude, with a scale in feet. It can be calibrated to QFE, QNH, or QNE, depending on the context.
• 😀 The altimeter uses an aneroid capsule that expands or contracts based on atmospheric pressure to move the needles and display the altitude.
• 😀 The inclinometer (ball) shows the symmetry of the aircraft's flight: it is centered when the aircraft flies symmetrically, and shifts when the aircraft is unbalanced.
• 😀 The turn coordinator shows the rate and direction of turns, with a gyroscope indicating the rate in degrees per second, including standard turn rate (360° in 2 minutes).
• 😀 The heading indicator (or heading bug) helps the pilot track and adjust the aircraft's heading, calibrated using a gyroscope that measures heading variations.
• 😀 The variometer shows the vertical speed of the aircraft, indicating whether the aircraft is climbing or descending based on pressure changes in the aircraft's aneroid capsule.

Q & A

What does the anemometer measure in an aircraft?

The anemometer measures the aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air, indicating the airspeed. It typically uses knots but can also be in kilometers per hour or miles per hour.

What do the different arcs on the anemometer's dial represent?

The white arc indicates the speed range for landing configuration, the green arc represents the normal operating speed range, and the yellow arc shows the prohibited speeds in turbulent air. The red mark indicates the aircraft's maximum speed limit.

What is the meaning of VS0, VS1, VNO, and VNE in relation to the anemometer?

VS0 is the stall speed in landing configuration with the landing gear and flaps extended. VS1 is the stall speed in a clean configuration with the landing gear retracted. VNO is the maximum operating speed in normal operations, while VNE represents the 'never exceed' speed, which is the maximum speed the aircraft should never surpass.

How does the anemometer work to measure airspeed?

The anemometer works by measuring the difference between total pressure (from the pitot tube) and static pressure (from the air intake). This difference is converted into speed, with the pitot tube measuring total pressure and the static port measuring ambient air pressure.

How does the artificial horizon work?

The artificial horizon helps pilots understand the aircraft's attitude, indicating whether the aircraft is climbing, descending, or turning. It uses a gyroscope to display the aircraft’s pitch and roll angles, with a model of the plane showing its orientation.

What is the role of the altimeter in the cockpit?

The altimeter measures atmospheric pressure to determine the aircraft's altitude. It is calibrated to read either in feet or meters, and it can be adjusted to different settings (QFE, QNH, QNE) depending on whether the altitude is referenced to the airport, sea level, or standard pressure.

How is the altimeter calibrated?

The altimeter can be calibrated using three different settings: QFE, QNH, or QNE. QFE references the altitude above the aerodrome, QNH references the altitude above sea level, and QNE uses a standard pressure setting of 1013 hPa for all aircraft.

What does the inclinometer (or ball) indicate in an aircraft?

The inclinometer, also known as the ball, shows the symmetry of the flight. If the aircraft is flying symmetrically, the ball stays centered. If the aircraft is unbalanced (e.g., the nose is tilted), the ball moves to one side, indicating a need for correction.

What is the purpose of the turn coordinator (or rate of turn indicator)?

The turn coordinator indicates the rate and direction of a turn, measured in degrees per second. It helps pilots maintain a standard rate of turn, which is a 360° turn completed in 2 minutes, and it shows whether the turn is to the left or right.

How does the heading indicator (or directional gyro) work?

The heading indicator, or conservator of heading, helps pilots maintain a consistent flight direction by measuring variations in the aircraft's heading using a gyroscope. It does not directly indicate the heading but shows the changes in direction, and must be calibrated using the aircraft’s magnetic compass.

What does the variometer measure in an aircraft?

The variometer measures the vertical speed of the aircraft, indicating whether it is climbing or descending. It uses a capsule that responds to changes in static pressure, with the needle moving up when climbing and down when descending.