Instruments provide information to the pilot. They may operate mechanically from the pitot-static system, or they may be electronic, requiring 12VDC, 24VDC, or 400 Hz power systems.[3] An aircraft that uses computerized CRT or LCD displays almost exclusively is said to have a glass cockpit.
Basic instruments include:
- An airspeed indicator, which indicates the speed at which the aircraft is moving through the surrounding air.
- An altimeter, which indicates the altitude of the aircraft above the ground or above mean sea level.
- An attitude indicator, sometimes called an artificial horizon, which indicates the exact orientation of the aircraft about its pitch and roll axes.
Other instruments might include:
- A Turn coordinator, which helps the pilot maintain the aircraft in a coordinated attitude while turning.
- A rate-of-climb indicator, which shows the rate at which the aircraft is climbing or descending
- A horizontal situation indicator, shows the position and movement of the aircraft as seen from above with respect to the ground, including course/heading and other information.
- Instruments showing the status of each engine in the aircraft (operating speed, thrust, temperature, and other variables).
- Combined display systems such as primary flight displays or navigation displays.
- Information displays such as on-board weather radar displays.
