Instrument Overview

You should be familiar with the basic instruments before completing your flight exercises. Review the diagram below and click on the labeled instruments to findout more about how each one works.

airspeed indicator
The instrument that displays an aircraft's speed relative to the air in which it is moving. Most modern aircraft have airspeed indicators calibrated in knots or in Mach number.

attitude indicator (artificial horizon)
The instrument that shows the aircraft's pitch and bank attitudes with respect to the ground. Pilots use the attitude indicator, sometimes called the "artificial horizon," when the true horizon isn't visible.

altimeter
The instrument that shows the aircraft's altitude above sea-level adjusted for atmospheric pressure.

turn coordinator
One of the six primary flight instruments, the turn coordinator shows the rate of turn and the quality of a turn—whether the aircraft is slipping, skidding, or in a balanced turn. In most modern light aircraft the turn coordinator has replaced the "needle and ball," which served the same function.

heading indicator
A gyro instrument that accurately and quickly shows changes in aircraft heading. Sometimes called the "directional gyro" or "DG." Because the heading indicator is driven by a gyro, it provides smooth, precise indication of heading or turns. The compass, which is subject to acceleration, deceleration, dip, and other errors, often oscillates, leads, or lags a turn. However, because gyros are affected by precession, the pilot must periodically set the heading indicator to correspond to the compass (unless the heading indicator is "slaved" electronically to the compass).