If you’re flying behind round gauges—and plenty of us still are—you need to be ready for critical ones going belly-up. Used correctly, your GPS is a huge asset.
Partial Panel with GPS
Despite the magazine vogue of articles on glass cockpits and technologically advanced airplanes, thousands of us continue to fly steam gauges. A well-equipped steam-gauge airplane enables a competent pilot to fly the same mission that a glass airplane can fly. The Apollo spacecraft were steam-gauge equipped and carried men to the moon.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots flying traditional "steam gauge" aircraft must recognize gradual gyro failures by instrument disagreement and use the turn coordinator, airspeed, and altimeter for primary control and unusual attitude recovery.
- The GPS ground track is a crucial aid for heading control in a no-gyro situation but should supplement, not replace, the turn coordinator to prevent overbanking and ensure stable flight.
- In an emergency, declare "no gyro" to ATC, utilize their assistance for vectors and suitable airport information, and carefully plan the approach, considering options like GPS or VOR approaches, and making gentle corrections.
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