DIAGNÓSTICO DEL PANEL DE VUELO

3°BC – AVIÓNICA
ETA – ITS

What’s in the Cockpit?

At a first glance, aircraft instrument panels look very complicated, but the most significant
instruments are only six in number. They are known as the basic or primary flight
instruments and are present in all aircraft.

a. Fill in the gaps with the correct instrument:

1. The _Airspeed Indicator_ provides the aircraft’s speed relative to the surrounding air.
2. The _Turn Coordinator_ is two instruments in one; an inclinometer indicating
coordinated flight, and the turn coordinator showing the aircraft’s bank.
3. The _Heading Indicator_ shows the aircraft heading when synced to the magnetic
compass.
4. The _Attitude Indicator_ displays the pitch and bank of the aircraft relative to the
horizon.
5. The _Altimeter_ shows the aircraft’s altitude above the mean sea level.
6. The _Vertical Speed Indicator_ shows the rate of climb or descent.
b. Are the following statements TRUE or FALSE?

The Primary Flight Instruments

They are collectively referred to as the six-pack and are common to both traditional and glass
cockpits. In traditional cockpits, each instrument is placed individually and operates
independently of the other. The placement of instruments relative to each other is
standardized. The Altimeter, Vertical Speed Indicator, and Airspeed Indicator operate using
the Pitot-Static system. The Artificial Horizon, Turn Coordinator, and Heading Indicator use
gyroscopes. Glass cockpits present these instruments in the same configuration but usually
integrate them into a single LCD. Glass cockpits replace the gyroscopic instruments with
electronic Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) and Air Data Computers (ADCs).
The Airspeed Indicator and Altimeters are commonly represented as sliding ‘tapes’ on either
side of the Artificial Horizon as seen in the image above. The Vertical Speed Indicator is
located in the center or below the altimeter. The turn coordinator is represented by an arrow
above the AH and the Heading Indicator is usually shown below the AH. A second
MultiFunction Display (MFD) displays engine parameters, communication and navigation
radio settings, and a moving map display for navigation.

1. The six-pack can strictly be found in analog cockpits. __F___

2. In both analog and digital panels, the instruments cannot operate independently
from each other. __T___

3. The six-pack operates using gyroscopes. __F___

4. In digital cockpits the six-pack can be integrated in a single LCD screen. __T__
5. Glass cockpits do not necessarily replace gyroscopes. _F___
6. Contrary to the analog system, glass cockpits may integrate multifunctional displays
where to get information about the engine and other necessary data for safe flying.
__T__
Advantages of the Glass Cockpit
Situational Awareness

The most significant advantage offered by a

glass cockpit is the massive increase in the
pilot’s situational awareness. There’s a
qualitative improvement in displayed data as
well, as the displays can be customized to
reduce clutter and provide only relevant
information. The available information
includes not just the ‘six pack’, but also data
that has no analog counterpart. An example
of this is the GPS-based moving map display.
This screen displays a top-down view of the
aircraft and shows the relative
positions of nearby airfields, terrain, airspace boundaries, and navigational aids such as
VORs, all updating in real-time as the aircraft flies along its programmed route. Aircraft
equipped with a Traffic Collision Awareness System (TCAS) can have air traffic information
overlaid as well, and some units can even receive and display weather data.

c. Find the word in the text that matches the definition:

1. _GPS_: modified to suit a particular individual or task.
 2. _Clutter_: to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement
or reduce effectiveness.
3. _Navigational aids_: a type of navigation system output.
4. _Airfield_: an area of land set aside for the takeoff, landing, and maintenance of
aircraft.
5. _Airspace_: the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory.
6. Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Ranges or _VORs_ are ground-based electronic
systems that provide azimuth information for high and low altitude routes and airport
approaches.
7. _TCAS_: is a family of airborne devices that function independently of the ground-based air
traffic control (ATC) system, and provide collision avoidance protection for a broad spectrum
of aircraft types.

Reliability

d. The following parts of the sentences have been removed from the text. Fill in the blanks
with the following phrases:

a. suffer electrical failures

b. suction gauge to see if the vacuum pump
c. keep the aircraft on course
d. if the pilot is neglectful
e. they’re programmed to display errors
f. Artificial Horizon
g. gyro-based analog heading indicators
h. accurate readings
i. Instrument Meteorological Conditions
j. rotations per minute
k. driven by a vacuum pump

The second most important benefit is reliability. Analog instruments are gyro-based. They
operate using gyroscopes spinning at thousands of 1_rotations per minute_. If the
gyroscopes are unable to rotate fast enough, the instruments won’t be able to give
2_accurate readings_. The gyros, in turn, are 3_driven by a vacuum pump_. Failure of the
pump, generally due to a blockage, does not provide an alert to the pilot. If the aircraft is
flying in 4_instrument meteorological conditions_(IMC), that is, flying without any visual
references on the ground, the pilot is entirely dependent on the instruments to 5_keep the
aircraft on course_. A failure of the 6_artificial horizon_ could lead to the aircraft being flown
right into the ground if the pilot loses spatial awareness. Pilots are trained to periodically
check the 6_suction gauge to see if the vacuum pump_ is operating normally, but there’s no
alert or warning offered by the system itself. Glass cockpit systems are designed to overcome
this problem. These systems monitor themselves and self-check for inconsistent readings. In
case of a possible impending failure, 7_They’re programmed to display errors_ prominently.
Even during normal operations, 8_gyro-based analog heading indicators_ need to be
recalibrated manually by the pilot roughly every ten minutes and usually require calibration
after a hard landing or a long holding pattern as well. This just adds one more task that the
pilot has to do manually, and creates a new possible point of failure 9_if the pilot is
neglectful_. On the other hand, glass cockpits can encounter software glitches or suffer
electrical failures. Glass cockpits usually have conventional gauges showing airspeed,
altitude, and heading, that serve as backup or standby instruments.

e. Complete the paragraphs with the words given below:

Precise Indications

The display indications are a notable difference between a_cockpits_. Traditional cockpits
use b__instruments_ on a dial for an indication as opposed to numbers shown on a
c_digital_ display in glass cockpits. Needle-based instruments are prone to parallax errors,
causing the pilot to record readings inaccurately if they are viewed at an angle. d_analog_
instruments also require the pilot to interpret the reading on the dial; digital displays provide
the precise number, which enables the pilots to spend less time looking at the e_needles_.
This is especially helpful at f_low_ airspeeds and altitudes.

digital analog instruments low needles cockpits

Workload Reduction

A digital g_interface_ helps in reducing the h_worlkload_ and the extra i_paperwork_ you
need with analog systems. Glass cockpits offer integrated checklists, j_GPS_ charts, and
k_navigational_ planning features. This eliminates the possibility of errors in programming
the l _route_and saves time as well.
GPS paperwork route navigational interface workload

f. Translate this text from English to Spanish:

Disadvantages of the Glass Cockpit

The biggest disadvantage of a glass cockpit aircraft is the high cost; they may be significantly
more expensive compared to an equivalent aircraft with a traditional cockpit. The barrier for
entry into aviation is already pretty high. Pilots who are only planning on flying in areas with
low traffic in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), may not have enough of a workload to
require a high-powered digital interface. And even in IMC conditions, pilots with an
Instrument Rating are trained to be able to operate aircraft with either type of cockpit.
There’s also a strong argument to be made against glass cockpits in aircraft intended for
training new pilots. In the initial stages of pilot training, the student needs to learn the feel
of the aircraft and usually flies using Visual Flying Rules (VFR). Students are meant to fly
using ground references and using what’s known as integrated flying, flying by looking
outside the cockpit ninety percent of the time and only looking at the instruments ten
percent of the time. Having a glass cockpit usually distracts a student and tempts them into
looking inside the cockpit. This may make them dependent on the instruments and they may
never learn to operate an aircraft with an instrument or electrical failure. Analog instruments
encourage students to think about the change in the instrument reading brought about from
their control inputs. The glass cockpit can also be overwhelming for new pilots. This can lead
to less situational awareness than a traditional cockpit since the pilot takes up a lot of time
sorting through the available information and programming the displays. There are some
procedural changes with glass cockpit aircraft due to the presence of additional avionics
controls and circuit breakers. Pilots generally find it harder to move to an airplane equipped
with the analog cockpit if they have only ever operated aircraft with glass cockpits. Learning
the basics in a traditional cockpit and only then moving to the other is comparatively easier.
While the glass cockpit offers multiple advanced safety systems and a lot of automation to
reduce the pilot’s workload, it does create the possibility of the pilot becoming dependent
on the aids and losing the skill of actually flying the aircraft.

Desventajas de la cabina de cristal

La mayor desventaja de un avión con cabina de vidrio es el alto costo; pueden ser
significativamente más caros en comparación con un avión equivalente con una cabina
tradicional. La barrera de entrada a la aviación ya es bastante alta. Los pilotos que solo
planean volar en áreas con poco tráfico en condiciones meteorológicas visuales (VMC),
pueden no tener suficiente carga de trabajo para requerir una interfaz digital de alta
potencia. E incluso en condiciones IMC, los pilotos con una habilitación de instrumentos
están capacitados para poder operar aeronaves con cualquier tipo de cabina. También hay
un fuerte argumento en contra de las cabinas de vidrio en los aviones destinados a la
formación de nuevos pilotos. En las etapas iniciales de la formación de pilotos, el estudiante
necesita aprender a sentir la aeronave y, por lo general, vuela utilizando Reglas de vuelo
visual (VFR). Los estudiantes deben volar usando referencias terrestres y usando lo que se
conoce como vuelo integrado, volando mirando fuera de la cabina el noventa por ciento del
tiempo y solo mirando los instrumentos el diez por ciento del tiempo. Tener una cabina de
vidrio generalmente distrae a un estudiante y lo tienta a mirar dentro de la cabina. Esto
puede hacerlos dependientes de los instrumentos y es posible que nunca aprendan a operar
una aeronave con un instrumento o una falla eléctrica. Los instrumentos analógicos alientan
a los estudiantes a pensar en el cambio en la lectura del instrumento provocado por sus
entradas de control. La cabina de vidrio también puede resultar abrumadora para los
nuevos pilotos. Esto puede conducir a una menor conciencia de la situación que una cabina
de mando tradicional, ya que el piloto dedica mucho tiempo a clasificar la información
disponible y programar las pantallas. Hay algunos cambios de procedimiento con aeronaves
con cabina de vidrio debido a la presencia de controles de aviónica e interruptores
automáticos adicionales. Por lo general, a los pilotos les resulta más difícil cambiar a un
avión equipado con cabina analógica si alguna vez solo han operado aviones con cabina de
vidrio. Aprender los conceptos básicos en una cabina tradicional y solo luego pasar a la otra
es comparativamente más fácil. Si bien la cabina de vidrio ofrece múltiples sistemas de
seguridad avanzados y mucha automatización para reducir la carga de trabajo del piloto,
crea la posibilidad de que el piloto se vuelva dependiente de las ayudas y pierda la habilidad
de volar la aeronave.