Instrument Checks

As you know, there are certain checks above and beyond your normal VFR checks that you have to do for IFR flying. You want to be sure that your instruments are operating correctly because you will no longer be able to see out the window when flying and will be relying on them completely to control the plane.

 Pitot Heat check for IFR

For your IFR instrument check you will be checking things a little closer during your preflight. How many times have you checked your Pitot heat during a VFR inspection? When flying IFR you should be sure it heats up because if you end up in icing conditions (unintentionally of course), then the pitot tube opening could get covered in ice making the airspeed indicator useless. What’s even worse is if the pitot tube and drain both get blocked. This would cause your airspeed indicator to act like an altimeter. This means that if you were to climb slightly, your airspeed would show higher. As your airspeed shows higher (faster), you would pull up slightly to slow the plane down. As you pull up, it climbs more, showing a higher speed, causing you to repeat until you get totally confused and pull it into a stall and lose control. You need pitot heat to keep the ice off the pitot tube.

Turn Coordinator / Rate of Turn check for IFR

When you turn on the master switch, listen closely because on many planes you can hear the electric gyro to the turn coordinator start to make a whining noise as it starts to spin. As you taxi, you want to be sure that your turn coordinator is moving properly too. This is your only back-up instrument for flying straight if you lose your vacuum instruments. Without it, you will not be able to tell if you are turning. You could roll upside down and not realize it until it’s too late. It’s also good for timed turns.

Compass check for IFR

Your compass should be moving freely and filled with liquid too because it will be the only thing available to tell you what heading you are flying if you lose your vacuum.

Vertical Speed (not required for IFR)

Your vertical speed should read zero on the ground but sometimes it doesn’t. If it is off, just make a mental note of where it is and make that your zero point. You can do this because it’s not even required for IFR.

Altimeter check for IFR

When setting the altimeter to the proper pressure, it should read within 75′ of field elevation or it cannot be used for IFR. Can you imagine flying in the clouds, coming in for a landing and thinking you were 75′ higher than you actually were? There will be some error but this is the cut-off.

Gyro instrument check for IFR

Your IFR instrument check also includes your vacuum gauge. Without vacuum, you have no Gyro instruments. This means that you lose your heading indicator and your artificial horizon (attitude indicator). During idle, your vacuum may not have enough suction to spin the gyros fast enough to operate the instruments properly and may even cause a low vacuum light to show up. Just bump the power up a little or double check during run-up to be sure everything is working ok. As you taxi, your heading indicator should show turns. Your main instrument for IFR flying will be your attitude indicator (artificial horizon), so what do you do if you start the plane and it looks like the image above and is not upright and erect? The answer is to give it 5 minutes. It can take 2-3 minutes for the gyros to spin up fast enough to correct the attitude indicator but it can take as long as 5 minutes per the Instrument Flying Handbook. If it hasn’t corrected itself in 5 minutes, it should be considered unreliable for IFR flight.

Electric System check for IFR

Your electric system should be charging properly so be sure to check it, because if you lose your electric you have no way to navigate except to fly a compass heading toward the nearest VFR conditions.

Clock check for IFR

In IFR flying, you need to have a clock to be able to keep track of every second, so be sure it’s working.

VOR check for IFR

Your VOR’s have to be checked, but since you can’t really check them on the ground unless you happen to be based at an airport with a ground based VOR checkpoint, you have to check the VOR’S once every 30 days and make a log of the check. I’m not going into the specifics because they can be found in the regulations but in order to file IFR, the check must be done.

Additional IFR Checks

Lastly, you want to be sure that all your pressures and temperatures are within limits and no warning lights are on. If you have carburetor heat or alternate air, make sure they are working in case you get induction icing. You should also check both your radios to be sure that you can hear them and that the frequencies are set properly. If you have a GPS, make sure the database is current.

If you have any questions that I did not answer, then please feel free to post a comment or send me an email!

Take Care

Pre Flight Briefing

Passenger Briefing - Comfortable and Safe flight

• Keep seat belts on at all times during taxi takeoff and landing
• Unbuckle seat belts by depressing red latch
• Open door - rotate leaver counterclockwise and push door open
• Exit  airplane by 2 cockpit doors and rear baggage compartment door
• Fire extinguisher - fully charged, extinguish cabin fire or used to break glass 
• Positive exchange of Flight Control  with acknowledgement - I'm PIC (pilot in charge)
• Sterile Cockpit Rule - non essential duties  or activities non-essential conversation pertaining to flight during taxi takeoff and landing
• Help - Look of traffic on the right, Listen to aircraft #
• Keep your hands and feet off Controls 
• No smoking in cockpit 

Flight Instrument 6 Pack Check List

• ASI - Airspeed Indicator 
• Needle Indicate Zero
• Needle approximately 12'o Clock
• AI - Attitude Indicator 
• Miniature Aircraft covers Horizontal Bar n 
• Attitude Indicator DIPs when brake applies
• Taking Turns AI not more than 5 degrees bank
• ALT - Altimeter 
• Set to current barometric pressure
• Within 75 feet of field elevation 133" 
• TC - Turn Coordinator
• No inoperative RED Flag display
• Miniature Aircraft wings level 
• Inclinemeter Ball Centered
• Turns - 
• Miniature Aircraft turns corresponding to direction of turn
• Ball moves freely outside of turn in opposite direction
• HI - Heading Indicator
• Agrees with Magnetic Compass
• Both agrees with direction of Taxi
• VSI - Vertical Speed Indicator
• Needle Indicate Zero - No Climb or Descend 

IFR Instrument Checks
For IFR flight, add these items to the VFR checklist you use for your airplane.
Preflight, before turning on master switch
Magnetic Compass -- FULL OF FLUID
Inclinometer -- FULL OF FLUID
Turn Coordinator -- WARNING FLAG RED
After turning on master switch
Turn Coordinator -- WARNING FLAG CLEAR
Electric Gyros -- LISTEN, SPOOLING UP SMOOTHLY
Pitot Heat -- TURN ON, CHECK HEAT, THEN OFF.
During walkaround
Pitot tube and static port -- CLEAR OF ALL BLOCKAGE
During runup
Suction -- CHECK INDICATORS (4.5" to 5.5" differential pressure is typical)
Ammeter -- CHARGING/NORMAL INDICATION
While taxiing
Magnetic Compass -- INDICATES KNOWN HEADINGS, TURNS FREELY
Attitude Indicator -- HORIZON BAR SHOULD BE ERECT AND STABLE WITHIN 5 MIN.
BANKS LESS THAN 5 DEGREES DURING TURNS
PITCHES SLIGHTLY WITH BRAKE APPLICATION
Heading Indicator -- SET AFTER 5 MINUTES AND CHECK FOR PROPER ALIGNMENT
AFTER TAXI TURNS
Turn Coordinator -- INDICATES TURNS IN SAME DIRECTION
Inclinometer -- BALL SKIDS TO OUTSIDE DURING TURNS
Before takeoff
Airspeed -- ZERO
Attitude Indicator -- SET AIRPLANE TO 90 DEGREE MARKERS
Altimeter -- LOCAL PRESSURE SET, READS WITHIN 75' OF FIELD ELEVATION
Turn Coordinator -- WARNING FLAG CLEAR
Heading Indicator -- ALIGN WITH MAGNETIC COMPASS
VSI -- NOTE ZERO POINT, CHECK ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE
Set up all radios as far ahead as possible:
Communications frequencies set, verify both com radios operational
VHF navigation frequencies and OBS set, check signal reception & ID on ground
DME frequency and mode selector set
ADF frequency set, check signal reception & ID on ground when possible
GPS route or first waypoint programmed
Transponder code set, altitude mode engaged
Clearance -- OBTAIN AND REVIEW
Departure Procedure -- REVIEW
Departure Emergency Plan -- REVIEW

Index

Aircraft Systems

Airspeed Indicator This instrument shows the current airspeed of the aircraft in nautical miles per hour. The green arc is the normal operating range. The bottom of the green arc is the stalling speed with flaps up. The bottom of the white arc is the stall speed with flaps fully extended and the top of the white arc is the maximum speed with full flaps. The yellow arc is the safe range only when in smooth air. The red mark is the speed that should never be exceeded. Note that airspeed is the speed of the air hitting the aircraft and is usually different from ground speed.
Attitude Indicator This instrument shows the current relationship (pitch and bank) of the aircraft to the horizon. The orange lines represent the aircraft wings. The blue area represents the sky and the brown is the earth. In this example the aircraft is flying level (neither climbing nor descending) but is banking to the left. The AI is powered by the vacuum system and gets it's readings from a built-in gyroscope.
Altimeter This instrument shows the current aircraft altitude or height above sea level. It gets it's reading from the static system and must be adjusted to the current air pressure setting for accuracy. If the pressure setting is unknown it may be sent to the airport elevation before takeoff.
Turn Coordinator This instrument shows the rate and quality of a turn. The rudder pedals are used to adjust the yaw of the airplane and maintain coordinated flight which is indicated by the black ball being centred as shown here
Heading Indicator This instrument shows the direction of the nose of the airplane and is much easier to read than the magnetic compass. It is powered by the vacuum system and must be set to the magnetic compass before takeoff and periodically during level flight to maintain accuracy. The orange tab is a heading bug that may be coupled with an autopilot if the aircraft is so equipped.
Vertical Speed Indicator This instrument shows the rate of climb or decent in hundreds of feet per minute. It gets it's information from the static system. The needle shown here on the zero means the aircraft is neither climbing nor descending
Tachometer This instrument shows the revolutions per minute of the aircraft engine just as in an automobile, however the tachometer is much more important in flying. Many aspects of aircraft performance may be predicted at given RPM settings.
Magnetic Compass This instrument is simply a wet magnetic compass. It has no external power source so it could be used in case of other instrument failure. It is susceptible to turning and acceleration/deceleration errors while the aircraft is moving. And therefore is not generally used in the real time navigation of the aircraft but as a reference to set the heading indicator
VOR, Glideslope, Localizer This is a navigational instrument that can be tuned to ground-based electronic beacons called VORs (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range) or to an ILS(Instrument Landing System) which allows a precision approach to a runway. The precision approach involves lining up both the vertical needle(localizer)and horizontal needle (glide slope) on final approach to guide the aircraft down to the runway on the proper angle. The typical configuration in an aircraft includes two of these instruments, one with glide slope and one without.
VOR Receiver This is a navigational instrument that can be tuned to ground-based electronic beacons called VORs (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range). It can also be tuned to an ILS (Instrument Landing System) however this unit shows no glide slope information and therefore can be used for a "localizer only" approach. The typical configuration in an aircraft includes two VOR instruments, one with glide slope and one without.
Automatic Direction Finder The ADF is a navigational instrument that can be tuned to ground-based electronic beacons called Non Directional Beacons(NDB). Most NDBs are on or near airports. When tuned to a specific beacon, the ADF needle always points toward
Vacuum / Ammeter The vacuum gauge show the pressure created by the vacuum pump which is needed to operate the Attitude Indicator and Heading Indicator. The Ammeter indicates the quality of the alternator/charging system..Note that these two items are often displayed with separate gauges depending on the model/year of the aircraft
Fuel Quantity Most small aircraft have two fuel tanks, one in each wing. This gauge indicates the level of fuel in each tank. Unlike an automobile, these gauges are used only as a cross-check. Pilots are trained to calculate their exact fuel consumption before a flight and leave a reserve of at least 30 minutes for daytime and 45 minutes at night
Exhaust Gas Temperature / Fuel Flow To get proper performance from an aircraft, the fuel flow must be "leaned" at altitude to compensate for the decrease in air density. This gauge helps the pilot lean the fuel for best efficiency. Note that some aircraft do not have this gauge and must be leaned by watching the Tachometer while slowly adjusting the mixture control.
Oil Temperature / Pressure Gauge This instrument monitors the temperature and pressure of circulating oil in the aircraft engine.
Clock / Thermometer Clock / Timer / Inside & outside temperature.
Hobbs Meter This is basically a timer which runs when the aircraft engine is running. It is the equivalent of an odometer on an automobile. The Hobbs meter is how aircraft rental charges are calculated and maintenance schedules are kept.
Audio Control Panel This unit selects which radios you are transmitting and/or receiving on. This unit shown also incorporates marker beacon lights (OMI) - Some do not.
GPS or LORAN Some aircraft are equipped with a GPS(Global Positioning System) or LORAN(Long Range Navigation System). GPS uses satellites and LORAN uses ground based transmitters to calculate and display the aircraft's exact position
NAV/COMM Radio Actually two radios in one. The left side is for voice communications with Air Traffic Control, other aircraft and listening to weather and airport information. The right side is for tuning in VORs & ILSs to be displayed on the VOR instruments. This model has the flip-flop feature - you dial in a frequency in standby, the press then white<> button to activate that frequency.
ADF Automatic Direction Finder) Tunes in the NDB frequency displayed on the ADF instrument
Transponder This unit sends a signal to the Air Traffic Control radar which displays your position and altitude. Aircraft that have not been assigned a 4 digit” squawk" code by ATC should use 1200.
DME (Distance Measuring Equipment) Some aircraft are equipped with DME which displays the distance to a specified VOR/DME beacon.

The airplane is all metal, four-place, high wing, single engine airplane equipped with tricycle landing gear and is designed for general utility and training purposes. The construction of the fuselage is a conventional formed sheet metal bulkhead, stringer, and skin design referred to as semimonocoque. The entire structure is covered in aluminium skin.

The airplane’s flight control system consists of conventional aileron, rudder and elevator control surfaces. The control surfaces are manually operated through cables and mechanical linkage using a control wheel for the ailerons and elevator, and rudder/brake pedals for the rudder.

The single-slot type wing flaps are extended or retracted by positioning the wing flap switch lever on the instrument panel to the desired flap deflection position. The flaps can be positioned at 10, 20 or 30 degrees.

The landing gear is of the tricycle type, with a steerable nose wheel and two main wheels. Shock absorption is provided by the tubular spring steel main landing gear struts and the air/oil nose gear shock strut.

Effective ground control while taxiing is accomplished through nose wheel steering by using rudder pedals. When the rudder is pressed a spring loaded steering bungee (which is connected to the nose gear and to the rudder bars) will turn the nose wheel though the arc of approximately 10 degrees each side of the centre. By applying either left or right brake of turn this may be increased up to 30 degrees each side of the corner. The minimum turning radius of the airplane, using differential braking and nose steering during taxi is approximately 27 feet.

The airplane is equipped with a two bladed, fixed pitch, on pierce forged aluminium alloy propeller which is anodized to retard corrosion. The propeller is 76 inches in diameter and is allowed to be reduced to 75 inches (1/2 inche either side).

The airplane is powered by a horizontally opposed, four cylinder, overhead valve, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine with a wet sump lubrication system. The engine is a Lycoming Model IO-360 and is rated at 180bhp at 2700rpm. Major accessories include a starter and belt driven alternator mounted to the front of the engine, a dual magnetos, dual vacuum pumps, and a full flow oil filter mounted on the rear engine accessory case. The exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indicator is located on the LH instrument panel. Since the exhaust gas temperature varies with the fuel-air ration (mixture), density altitude, throttle position and RPM, the instrument is a useful aid in adjusting the mixture for best economy performance. The EGT indicator allows the pilot to lean (reduce the proportion of fuel in the fuel-air mixture) to a known value using the maximum or “peak” exhaust gas temperature as a reference. Never lean using EGT when operating more than 75% power. The EGT system uses a thermocouple in the engine exhaust (tailpipe) to supply a voltage proportional to exhaust gas temperature. The EGT indicator responds to the voltage developed by the thermocouple. As the mixture is leaned (from full rich), the exhaust gas temperature will increase to a maximum valve as the stoichiometric (most chemically efficient) fuel-air ration is achieved and will decrease if the mixture continues to be leaned. Engine ignition is powered by two engine-driven magnetos and two spark plugs in each cylinder, the right magneto fires the lower right and upper left spark plugs, and the left magneto fires the lower left and upper right spark plugs. Normal operation is conducted with both magnetos due to the more complete burning of the fuel/air mixture with dual ignition.

Ignition and starter operation is controlled by a rotary-type switch located on the left switch and control panel. The switch is labelled clockwise, OFF, R, L, BOTH and START. The engine should ne operated on both magneto (BOTH position) except for magneto checks. The R and L positions are for checking purposes and emergency use only.

The engine air induction system receives ram air through the intake on the lower portion of the engine cowling. The intake is covered by an air filter which removes dust and other foreign matter from the induction air. Airflow passing through the filter enters an air box. The air box has a spring-loaded alternate air door. If the air induction filter should become blocked, suction created by the engine will open the door and draw unfiltered air from inside the lower cowl area. An open alternated air door will result in an approximate 10% power loss at full throttle. After passing through the air box, induction air enter a fuel/air control unit under the engine, and is then ducted to the engine cylinders through manifold tubes.

Exhaust gases from each cylinder passes through riser assemblies to a muffler and tailpipe. Outside air is pulled in around shrouds which are constructed around the outside of the muffler to form heating chambers which supply heat to the cabin.

Ram air for engine cooling enters through two intake openings in front of the engine cowling. The cooling air is directed around the cylinders and other areas of the engine by baffling, and is then exhausted through an opening at the bottom aft edge of the cowling. No manual cowl flap cooling system control is required.

The airplane is equipped with a 28-volt, direct current electrical system. The system is powered by a belt-driven, 60amp alternator and a 24-volt battery located on the left forward side of the firewall. Power is supplied to most general electrical circuits through a split primary bus bar, with an essential bus wired between two primaries to provide power for the master switch, annunicator circuits and interior lighting. Each primary bus bar is also connected to an avionics bus bar via a single avionics master switch. The primary buses are on anytime the master switch is turned on, and are not affected by started or external power usage. The avionics buses are on when the master switch and avionics master are in the ON position.     The ammeter/vacuum gage is located on the lower left side of the instrument panel. It indicates the amount of current, in amperes, from the alternator to the battery or from the battery to the airplane electrical system. In the event the alternator is not functioning or the electrical load exceeds the output of the alternator, the ammeter indicates the battery discharge rate. An annunicator panel is located on the left side of the instrument panel and provides caution (amber) and red (red) messaged for selected portions of the airplane systems. The annunicator is designed to flash messages for approximately 10 seconds to gain the attention of the pilot before changing to a steady on. The annunicator cannot be turned off by the pilot.

The temperature and volume of airflow into the cabin can be regulated by manipulation of the push-pull CABIN HT and CABIN AIR controls. Both controls are the double-button locking type and permit immediate controls.

Front cabin heat and ventilation air is supplied by outlet holes spaced across a cabin manifold just forward of the pilot’s and co-pilot’s feet. Rear cabin heat and air is supplied by two ducts from the manifold, one extending down each side of the cabin to an outlet just aft of the rudder pedals at floor level.

Windshield defrost air is also supplied by two ducts leading from the cabin manifold to defroster outlets near the lower edge of the windshield. Two knobs control sliding valves in either defroster outlet to permit regulation of defroster airflow.

Separate adjustable ventilators supply additional air; one near each upper corner of the windshield supplies air for the pilot and co-pilot, two ventilators are available for the rear cabin to supply air to the rear seat passengers. There are additional ventilators located in various positions in the cockpit.

Basic Attitude Instrument Flying

Basic Attitude Instrument Flying

The two basic methods used for learning attitude instrument flying are ‘control and performance’ and ‘primary and supporting’.

Cross Checking
The first fundamental skill is cross-checking (also called ‘scanning’ or ‘instrument coverage’). In instrument flying, the pilot maintains an attitude by reference to instruments, producing the desired result in performance.

Cross-checking is mandatory in instrument flying. In visual flight, a level attitude can be maintained by outside references. However, even the altimeter must be checked to determine if altitude is being maintained. Due to human error, instrument error, and airplane performance differences in various atmospheric conditions, it is impossible to establish an attitude and have performance remain constant for a long period of time.

Examples of cross-checking: Selected Radial Cross-Check – when the selected radial cross-check is used, a pilot spends 80% - 90% of flight time looking at the attitude indicator, taking only quick glances at the other flight instruments. With this method, the pilot’s eyes never travel directly between the flights instruments but move by way of the attitude indicator.
Inverted-V Cross-Check – In the inverted-V cross-check, the pilot scans from the attitude indicator down to the turn-coordinator, up to the attitude indicator, down to the VSI, and back up to the attitude indicator
Rectangular Cross-Check – In the rectangular cross-check, the pilot scans across the top three instruments, and then drops down to scan the bottom three instruments. This scan follows a rectangular path. This cross-checking method gives equal weight to the information from each instrument, regardless of its importance in the manuever being performed.

Common Cross-Check Errors:

• A beginner might cross-check rapidly, looking at instruments without knowing exactly what to look for
• Fixation - Staring at a single instrument, usually occurs for a reason, but has poor results. For example asking to do a 500fpm climb will fixate you on the VSI and the aircrafts speed may be dropping too much.
• Omission – Failure to anticipate significant instrument indicators following attitude changes. For example, in a roll-out from 180 degrees steep turn, straight and level flight is established with reference only to the attitude indicator, and the pilot neglects to check the heading indicator for constant heading information.
• Emphasis on a single instrument – Reliance on a single instrument is poor technique as it may provide inadequate information or errors.

Control and Performance
Aircraft performance is achieved by controlling the aircraft attitude and power. Aircrafts attitude is the relationship of both the aircrafts pitch and roll axes in relation to the Earths horizon. An aircraft is flown in instrument flight by controlling the attitude and power, as necessary, to produce both controlled and stabilized flight without reference to a visible horizon.

Control Instruments The control instruments display immediate attitude and power indications and are calibrated to permit those respective adjustments in precise increments. Control is determined by reference to the attitude and power indicators. Power indicators vary with aircraft and may include manifold pressure, tachometers, flue flow etc.
Performance Instruments The performance instruments indicate the aircrafts actual performance. Performance is determined by reference to the altimeter, airspeed or VSI.

Navigation Instruments
The navigation instruments indicate the position of the aircraft in relation to a selected navigation facility or fix. This group of instruments includes various types of course indicators, range indicators, glideslope indicators, and bearing pointers.

Procedural Steps in Using Control and Performance

1. Establish an attitude and power setting on the control instruments that result in the desired performance. Known or computed attitude changes and approximated power settings helps to reduce the pilot’s workload.
2. Trim until control pressures are neutralized. Trimming for hands-off flight is essential for smooth, precise aircraft control. It allows a pilot to attend to other flight deck duties with minimum deviation from the desired attitude.
3. Cross-check performance instrument to determine if the established attitude or power setting is provided to the desired performance. The cross-check involves both seeing and interpreting.
4. Adjust the attitude and/or power setting on the control instruments as necessary.

Primary and Supporting
All manoeuvres involve some degree of motion about the lateral (pitch), longitudinal (bank/roll), and vertical (yaw) axes. Instruments are grouped as they related to control function and aircraft performance as pitch, control, bank control, power control, and trim.

Pitch Control

Pitch control is controlling the rotation of the aircraft about the lateral axis by movement of the elevator. After interpreting the pitch attitude from the proper flight instrument, exert control pressures to affect the desired pitch attitude with reference to the horizon.

These instruments include the:

• Attitude Indicator – Gives direct and immediate indication of the pitch attitude of the aircraft. It is the only instrument that portrays both instantly and directly the actual flight attitude and is the basic attitude reference.
• Altimeter – If the altimeter indicates a loss of altitude, the pitch must be adjusted upward to stop the descent and vice versa. The altimeter can also indicate pitch attitude in a climb or descent by how rapidly the needles move.
• VSI – If the needle moves above zero, the pitch attitude must be adjusted downward to stop the changes in the indications of the VSI can prevent any significant change in altitude.
• Airspeed Indicator – The ASI gives an indirect reading of the pitch attitude. A repaid change in airspeed indicates a large change in pitch

Power Control
During or immediately after adjusting the power control(s), the power instruments should be cross-checked to see if the power adjustment is as desired. Whether or not the need for a power adjustment is indicated by another instrument(s), adjustment is made by cross-checking the power instruments.

Power indicator instruments are:

• Airspeed Indicator
• Engine Instruments: Tachometer, Manifold pressure

Bank Control

When flying in instrument metrological conditions, pilots maintain pre planned or assigned headings. With this in mind, the primary instrument for bank angle is the heading indicator. The heading indicator is the only reliable instrument, providing it is aligned with the magnetic compass to display the magnetic heading.

Trim
Trim control uses either the rudder or elevator trim to help control the aircraft around the lateral and vertical axis.

The Attitude Indicator is the only instrument that gives you both Pitch & Bank

Errors:

• Over controlling
• Improper usage of power
• Fail to cross check and take action

Scanning -

1.  Attitude + Power  = Performance
2.  Instrument Scanning -
1. Inverted V
2. Circular Scan 
3. Hub and Spokes

Inverted V Scan

Cross Checking / Scanning  Inverted V

1. Step 2 - Scanning the Turn Coordinated (TC) and Vertical Speed Indication (VSI) in an inverted V pattern. 
1. The TC and VSI are fine -tuners because of their sensitivity.
1. TC will show a turn before the heading indicator
2.  VSI will show a climb or descent before altimeter
2. Scan should move at a slow speech rate " and one and two and one and two..  that is how fast your eyes should move.
1. when you say "and"  look at the AI; when you say "one" look a the TC; when oyu say "two" look at the VSI
3. Key information while using the inverted V scan is trend of motion information, rather than specific numbers
1. Is the airplane doing what you want it to do? - Turning, flying level, climbing or descending?

Cross-Checking / Scanning Validating Instruments 

Second priority is to validate the AI – Think in terms of aircraft systems 
You are comparing electrical (TC) and vacuum bank information (AI), and you are comparing static-air (VSI) and vacuum pitch information (AI) 

If a bank or pitch disagreement exists, look to an independent bank or pitch system in order to resolve the conflict 

– To resolve bank conflicts, use the magnetic compass. It will agree with either the AI or the TC The instrument that disagrees is the problem. You cannot use the heading indicator unless you check the suction gauge and confirm proper operation of the vacuum system

 – To resolve pitch conflicts, use the alternate static air system, air speed indicator and the altimeter Pitch will agree with either the AI or the VSI The instrument that disagrees is not reliable If static problem - you can’t use the altimeter or airspeed indicator, unless you replace the normal static-air system with the alternate static-air system if you have one, as it feeds from the same source 

When a pitch or bank conflict develops, stop for a few seconds, and use system analysis to resolve the problem – False assumptions can result in loss of control Bank conflict Pitch conflict


Radial Scan

Step Three - Scan the other “six-pack” instruments 

• – These are the tertiary instruments 
• – Scan using the same slow eye movement as in the inverted V scan 
• – Scan the instruments that have the numbers that you are trying to maintain 
• Focus is on the important numbers  -The Quantitative information
• Are you complying with ATC, your intentions / desires, what the nav charts require? 

– If you do not like what you see, 
Return to Step One and change attitude and /or power 
Return to Step Two for trend of motion and for AI validation 
Return to the radial scan (Step Three) for the numbers 


http://slideplayer.com/slide/9608807/

landing

landing of aircraft