Instruments

Question 1

Your basic set of instruments are commonly referred to as the six pack. Name those instruments.

Answer 1

Airspeed Indicator Attitude Indicator Altimeter

Turn Coordinator Heading Vertical Speed

Question 2

Which instruments are reliant on Vacuum (Gyros)?

Answer 2

Attitude Indicator, and Heading Indicator. Very few light aircraft have vacuum driven Turn Coordinators. All three however have gyros. The Turn Coordinator on most light aircraft is electrically driven while the Attitude Indicator and Heading Indicator are Vacuum Driven.

Question 3

Which instruments run on electrical power.

Answer 3

Turn Coordinator.

Question 4

Which instruments run on electrical power.

Answer 4

Turn Coordinator in most light aircraft. Like the Attitude Indicator and the Heading Indicator, it too relies on a gyro for stability. That gyro is almost always powered electrically in light aircraft. In some older aircraft, it may be vacuum powered.

Question 5

How can you check the accuracy of your tachometer and why would you?

Answer 5

Use a calibrated tachometer to compare. It is important because if you are setting the tachometer to the wrong RPM, you will not get the expected performance from the plane.

Question 6

What is an advantage of an electric powered turn coordinator if the airplane has a vacuum system for other gyroscopic equipment.

Answer 6

It would work as as a backup should the vacuum system fail.