Beatrice Lang
An electrical system is an essential component of most aircraft, powering a variety of instruments and equipment. The capacity and complexity of electrical systems vary across aircraft, from light, piston-powered, single-engine planes to modern, multi-engine jets. Electrical systems are typically powered by generators or alternators, which may be engine-driven or powered by an APU, hydraulic motor, or Ram Air Turbine (RAT). These systems provide power to instruments such as the airspeed indicator, altimeter, compass, attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn coordinator, all of which are crucial for safe flight operations and help pilots maintain control and make informed decisions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose of electrically-powered instruments | Provide pilots with data about the flight situation of the aircraft, such as altitude, airspeed, vertical speed, heading, etc. |
| Instrument examples | Gyroscopic instruments, including attitude indicators, heading indicators, and turn coordinators; airspeed indicators; altimeters; compasses |
| Power source | Engine-driven generators or alternators; APU; hydraulic motor; Ram Air Turbine (RAT) |
| Voltage | 115-120V/400HZ AC, 28V DC or 14V DC |
| Backup power | Static inverter to power essential AC bus from aircraft batteries in case of loss of all AC power generation |
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What You'll Learn
Gyroscopic instruments
The attitude indicator, also known as the artificial horizon, is a critical gyroscopic instrument. It displays the aircraft's attitude or relation to the horizon. The aircraft symbol appears to fly around the fixed axis of the artificial horizon gyroscope, providing pilots with information about the aircraft's pitch and roll. This instrument is particularly useful in conditions of poor visibility, allowing pilots to maintain level flight and make turns without visual references outside the cockpit.
The heading indicator, or directional gyro, is another essential gyroscopic instrument. It displays the aircraft's heading in compass points relative to magnetic north. The gyro axis is initially aligned with the horizon, but due to precession caused by the Earth's rotation, it requires regular calibration throughout the flight, especially when flying towards the poles.
The turn coordinator is a unique gyroscopic instrument that provides dynamic axis alignment. It displays the rate of turn and slip, indicating whether the aircraft is turning or banking. Unlike the artificial horizon, the turn coordinator's axis alignment is short-term and responsive to the aircraft's movements.
In summary, gyroscopic instruments play a vital role in aviation by providing pilots with essential information about the aircraft's attitude, heading, and turn coordination. These instruments are typically powered electrically or pneumatically and include the attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn coordinator. Each instrument utilizes the stability of a spinning rotor to provide accurate data, enhancing the pilot's situational awareness and decision-making capabilities during flight.
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Electric attitude indicators
The attitude indicator is particularly useful in conditions of poor visibility, allowing pilots to maintain level flight and make turns without visual references outside the aircraft. It is one of the primary instruments for instrument flight.
Some attitude indicators, like the Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics' Lifesaver®, include a self-contained battery backup. This backup provides up to one hour of emergency attitude reference in the event of a power failure, enhancing safety during critical situations.
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Airspeed indicators
An airspeed indicator (ASI) is a device that measures the forward speed of an aircraft. It is a critical instrument in the cockpit, providing the pilot with essential data about the aircraft's speed, which is fundamental for safe flight operations.
The ASI operates by utilising the aircraft's pitot-static system, which compares pitot and static pressure to determine forward speed. The pitot tube measures ram-air pressure relative to ambient static pressure, allowing the ASI to calculate the aircraft's speed. This speed is known as the Indicated Airspeed (IAS) and is the speed of interest to the pilot from an aerodynamic perspective.
The ASI is colour-coded to provide crucial speed-related information. For example, standard markings indicate stall speed, never-exceed speed, and safe flap operation speeds. These markings help pilots maintain safe flight operations by ensuring they are aware of critical speed thresholds. Additionally, the ASI pointer moves in response to changes in pressure, providing a visual indication of the aircraft's current speed.
In multi-engine aircraft, the ASI includes two additional radial markings: a red line and a blue line. The red line indicates Vmc, the minimum speed at which the aircraft can be controlled with one engine inoperative. The blue line represents VYSE, the speed for the best rate of climb with one engine inoperative. These markings are vital for managing potential engine failure scenarios.
ASI malfunctions can occur due to blockages in the pitot-static system, which can be caused by insects, dirt, icing, or failure to remove protective covers. If the pitot tube is blocked, the ASI will read zero, and if both the pitot tube and its drain hole are blocked, the ASI will function as an altimeter, resulting in inaccurate speed indications. Therefore, regular maintenance and pre-flight checks are essential to ensure the proper functioning of the ASI and overall flight safety.
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Compass systems
A magnetic compass is a crucial instrument in an aircraft cockpit. It displays the aircraft's current magnetic heading, i.e., its directional orientation relative to the Earth's geomagnetic field, which has a roughly north-south orientation. The compass is usually set on top of the dashboard or hung from the top of the windshield frame to keep it away from electrical equipment and reduce magnetic deviation.
The compass system is suspended in a clear liquid, typically silicone or methyl alcohol, which lubricates the system and minimises oscillation. The interior of the compass case, or the bowl, contains several small powerful magnets positioned close to the pivot point, reducing the moment of inertia of the magnet system. The magnets make the compass align with the magnetic North Pole.
The compass is a reliable backup instrument in case of failures in the electrical, vacuum, or pitot-static systems. However, it has several limitations due to its construction and the Earth's magnetic field. For example, as an aircraft flies closer to the Earth's magnetic poles, the compass can become unreliable due to the "magnetic dip," where the compass dial aligns with the geomagnetic field and dips toward the nearest magnetic pole. This error is greatest near the poles and can be minimised by suspending the compass so that the centre of gravity of the magnet system is below the pivot point.
Another limitation is acceleration error, which causes the compass to show a false turn. In the Northern Hemisphere, as an aircraft accelerates, the compass indicates a turn to the North, and when decelerating, it shows a turn to the South. This error is eliminated when the aircraft reaches a stable velocity.
To compensate for these errors, pilots use acronyms like ANDS ("Accelerate-North, Decelerate-South") and NOSE ("North-Opposite, South-Exaggerated"). Despite these limitations, the magnetic compass is a valuable tool for pilots, providing directional information when other instruments may fail.
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Radios
Radio is indispensable to aviation. Radios are used by pilots for navigation and safety, and to communicate with each other and their surroundings. Radios are also used by plane spotters, amateur radio enthusiasts, and those interested in air-to-ground communication.
The first air-to-ground voice transmission took place in June 1915 at Brooklands, England, over about 20 miles. The first American air-to-ground radio transmitter was invented by AT&T in 1917. By World War II, radio had become the chief medium of air-to-ground and air-to-air communication.
Radio waves are necessary for aviation to ensure a consistent communication channel across great distances. Radio waves have two main characteristics: frequency and wavelength. The frequency used depends on the purpose and the distance. For example, the Instrumental Landing System (ILS) uses frequencies from 108MHz to 112MHz, while VHF communication uses frequencies from 118MHz to 137MHz.
Aviation scanners are a popular way to tap into aviation frequencies. They allow users to receive and interpret signals but not transmit in return. Aviation scanners are widely available and can also take the form of online streaming services and smartphone apps. However, it is important to note that listening to non-public channels, such as aviation broadcasts and military communications, is illegal in some countries.
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Frequently asked questions
Electric Attitude Indicators are electrically powered instruments in an airplane. They use an electrically driven gyroscope to display the aircraft's attitude relative to the horizon.
The Attitude Indicator, also known as the Artificial Horizon, shows the aircraft's relation to the horizon. It helps the pilot understand whether the wings are level and if the aircraft nose is pointing above or below the horizon.
Other instruments include the airspeed indicator, altimeter, compass, pitch-bank, rate of turn indicator, slip-skid indicator, adjustable altimeter, and a clock.
There are four basic kinds of aircraft instruments: pitot-static systems, compass systems, and gyroscopic instruments.
Modern aircraft with glass cockpits have digital attitude indicators that rely on solid-state electronics for more accurate results. They also feature electric flight instruments, navigation aids, and radios.
