IFH 5-20

33 30 24 2I I5 I2 6 3 Figure 3-31. The heading indicator is not north-seeking, but must be set to agree with the magnetic compass. Figure 5-31. The heading indicator is not north seeking, but must be set periodically (about every 15 minutes) to agree with the magnetic compass. Plane of Precession Plane of Force Plane of Rotation FORCE Figure 3-32. Precession causes a force applied to a spinning wheel to be felt 90 degree from the point of application in the direction of rotation. Figure 5-32. Precession causes a force applied to a spinning wheel to be felt 90° from the point of application in the direction of rotation. aircraft. Gyro heading indicators, with the exception of slaved gyro indicators, are not north seeking, therefore they must be manually set to the appropriate heading by referring to a magnetic compass. Rigidity causes them to maintain this heading indication, without the oscillation and other errors inherent in a magnetic compass. Older directional gyros use a drum-like card marked in the same way as the magnetic compass card. The gyro and the card remain rigid inside the case with the pilot viewing the card from the back. This creates the possibility the pilot might start a turn in the wrong direction similar to using a magnetic compass. A knob on the front of the instrument, below the dial, can be pushed in to engage the gimbals. This locks the gimbals allowing the pilot to rotate the gyro and card until the number opposite the lubber line agrees with the magnetic compass. When the knob is pulled out, the gyro remains rigid and the aircraft is free to turn around the card. Directional gyros are almost all air-driven by evacuating the case and allowing filtered air to flow into the case and out through a nozzle, blowing against buckets cut in the periphery of the wheel. The Earth constantly rotates at 15° per hour while the gyro is maintaining a position relative to space, thus causing an apparent drift in the displayed heading of 15° per hour. When using these instruments, it is standard practice to compare the heading indicated on the directional gyro with the magnetic compass at least every 15 minutes and to reset the heading as necessary to agree with the magnetic compass. Heading indicators like the one in Figure 5-31 work on the same principle as the older horizontal card indicators, except that the gyro drives a vertical dial that looks much like the dial of a vertical card magnetic compass. The heading of the aircraft is shown against the nose of the symbolic aircraft on the instrument glass, which serves as the lubber line. A knob in the front of the instrument may be pushed in and turned to rotate the gyro and dial. The knob is spring loaded so it disengages from the gimbals as soon as it is released. This instrument should be checked about every 15 minutes to see if it agrees with the magnetic compass. Turn Indicators Attitude and heading indicators function on the principle of rigidity, but rate instruments such as the turn-and- slip indicator operate on precession. Precession is the characteristic of a gyroscope that causes an applied force to produce a movement, not at the point of application, but at a point 90° from the point of application in the direction of rotation. [Figure 5-32] Turn-and-Slip Indicator The first gyroscopic aircraft instrument was the turn indicator in the needle and ball, or turn-and-bank indicator, which has more recently been called a turn-and-slip indicator. [Figure 5-33] The inclinometer in the instrument is a black glass ball sealed inside a curved glass tube that is partially filled with a liquid for damping. This ball measures the relative strength of the force of gravity and the force of inertia caused by a turn. When the aircraft is flying straight-and-level, there is no inertia acting on the ball, and it remains in the center of the tube between two wires. In a turn made with a bank angle that is too steep, the force of gravity is greater than the inertia and the ball rolls down to the inside of the turn. If the turn is