Common Aviation Gyros

Gyroscopes are an essential component of any instrument rig used for attitude, heading, turning, and navigation. Technological inventions created gyroscopes that work using a variety of theories. Each type of gyro is best suited for particular situations based on the type of information needed and the effect of drift. Three types of gyros are common in aviation. …

Key Takeaways:

• Gyroscopes are essential components in aviation instruments for attitude, heading, turning, and navigation, with various types optimized for specific applications and drift characteristics.
• Mechanical gyros operate on the principle of rigidity in space, where a spinning top maintains its orientation while the aircraft moves around it.
• MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) gyros detect angular acceleration using the Coriolis force, converting mechanical displacement into electrical signals, and are used in aircraft AHRS and consumer electronics.
• Laser gyros (including Ring Laser and Fiber Optic types) utilize the Sagnac effect to measure rotation through light wave phase shifts, providing highly accurate and stable performance for inertial navigation systems.

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