IFR Instrument Panel
1. For IFR flight a clock with a sweep second hand or a digital second readout must be functioning in the plane. This is used in timing of approaches.
2. The airspeed indicator is used to determine aircraft speed during flight. Remember to correct True Airspeed for non-nonstandard temperature or for pressure altitude. This can be computed using a flight computer or the aircraft’s information manual.
3. The Attitude Indicator is used to determine aircraft orientation. This instrument is driven by a vacuum powered gyroscope. This instrument will fail if the vacuum system fails.
4. For IFR flight a sensitive altimeter is required. This will accurately show the correct MSL altitude for the aircraft if a proper local altimeter setting is used.
5. VORs are used during tracking to and from stations for navigation.
6. The turn coordinator is an electrically driven instrument that tells the pilot if they are making a “standard-rate turn” and the quality of the turn with the slip indicator. This instrument also serves as a backup in case of a vacuum system failure that eliminates the use of the Attitude Indicator as safe.
7. The heading indicator is used to determine aircraft heading. This is a gyroscopic instrument powered by the vacuum system. If the vacuum system fails the magnetic compass serves as a backup. This instrument should be watched for precession errors during IFR flight and cross-checked against the magnetic compass during straight and level flight. The maximum allowable error for precession is 3 degrees per 15 minutes of flight time. If more is noticed, the instrument should not be relied upon.
8. The Vertical Speed Indicator tells the pilot the rate of climb or descent that the aircraft is maintaining. This is instrument is most accurate during a stabilized climb or descent and is not reliable during changes in initial changes in attitude.
9. The magnetic compass is used in IFR flight as a backup for the Heading Indicator in case of a vacuum system failure or excessive precession. When using this instrument remember there are magnetic compass turning errors that must be considered.
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