Chapter 1: Introduction to Basic Instruments

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION TO BASIC INSTRUMENTS

100.

INTRODUCTION

The Basic Instrument Procedures and Patterns are intended to provide the student with a sound

basis for progressing to Radio Instrument navigation. The ability of the naval aviator to perform

proper instrument flight will transform periods of bad weather and low visibility from a liability

to an asset for the successful completion of military missions, especially when used in

combination with radio, radar, and target recognition devices.

To achieve the proficiency necessary for "all weather" flying, the student must acquire

knowledge and skill in three major areas.

Attitude Instrument Flight

Instrument Navigational Procedures

Weather Analysis

The Basic Instrument curriculum will provide the requisite skill in the first area, attitude

instrument flight.

101.

ATTITUDE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT

All flight is based on attitude flying. When flying contact (with visual reference to the horizon),

we control the complete performance of our aircraft by applying a specific amount of power and

placing the aircraft's nose and wings in a precise position or "attitude" relative to the horizon.

However, when operating in the clouds or during periods of low visibility, this external attitude

reference line disappears and reliable contact attitude flight cannot be continued. With the

advent of the first flight indicator instrument, pilots no longer needed to depend on visual contact

with the actual earth horizon to aid in "setting" and maintaining desired nose and wing attitudes.

Attitude flight could still be accomplished during "instrument" conditions by replacing the actual

horizon with the artificial horizon in the attitude gyro. Thus, the attitude concept of flight does

not change as a transition is made to instrument flight. In fact, this attitude depicted by the

gyro's miniature aircraft and horizon bar is in most cases more precise than the contact

presentation.

When flying contact, the basic attitude outside the aircraft is verified by crosschecking certain

instruments in the cockpit; for example, in straight and level normal cruise flight, the wings are

leveled and the nose is set on the horizon, then the radio magnetic indicator (RMI) is checked for

proper heading, the altimeter for current altitude, and the vertical speed indicator (VSI) for the

earliest indication of a trend and rate of departure from level flight. Obviously, the same

principle is true for attitude instrument flight. The pilot establishes an attitude on the gyro, and

after smoothly introducing trim to support the desired attitude, confirms the attitude by

systematically crosschecking other instruments. Thus, even though there are obviously

contrasting elements between contact and instrument flight, none of the fundamentals change.

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