Question Analysis, Book Reference, Important Concepts, and topic wise Solutions for the topic "Primary Flight Instruments" are time-stamped below. Access the study materials, presentation, links to previous and next lectures and further information in the description section. Use the following link to access the GATE Aerospace page of "Age of Aerospace" Blog: https://ageofaerospace.blogspot.com/p/gate-aerospace.html

1. 1
FLIGHT MECHANICS
PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS
TOPIC WISE SOLVED QUESTIONS
Question Analysis | Book Reference | Important Concepts | Solutions
1

2. 2
FLIGHT MECHANICS - BASICS
Question Analysis | Book Reference | Important Concepts | Solutions
GATE 2009 PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS: ALTIMETER 1 Mark
Q1. A conventional altimeter is a
(A) Pressure transducer (B) Temperature transducer
(C) Density transducer (D) Velocity transducer
Explanation:
A transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another. The altimeter is an instrument that
measures the height of an aircraft above a given pressure level. The altimeter uses static pressure as its source
of operation.
Answer:
(A) Pressure transducer
Transducer Function
A) Pressure transducer It converts an applied pressure into an electrical signal.
B) Temperature transducer It converts the thermal quantity into any physical quantity.
C) Density transducer It detects the density change
D) Velocity transducer It transforms the physical velocity (or speed) into an electrical signal.

3. 3
Pilot'shandbookofaeronauticalknowledge2016-Chapter8:
FlightInstruments(8-2),Pg.No:(206/524)

4. 4
FLIGHT MECHANICS - BASICS
Question Analysis | Book Reference | Important Concepts | Solutions
GATE 2013 PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS: ATTITUDE 1 Mark
Q2. Which one of the following flight instruments is used on an aircraft to determine its attitude in flight?
(A) Vertical Speed Indicator (B) Altimeter
(C) Artificial Horizon (D) Turn-bank Indicator
Explanation:
Aircraft attitude is the orientation of an aircraft with respect to the horizon.
Artificial Horizon: A gyroscopic instrument or a fluid surface, typically one of mercury, used to provide the pilot of
an aircraft with a horizontal reference plane for navigational measurement when the natural horizon is obscured.
Answer:
(C) Artificial Horizon
Instrument Function
A) Vertical Speed Indicator It indicates the rate of climb or descent of an aircraft
B) Altimeter It measures the altitude of an object above a fixed level.
C) Artificial Horizon It provides the pilot of an aircraft with a horizontal reference plane.
D) Turn-bank Indicator It indicates the rate of turn.

5. 5
Pilot'shandbookofaeronauticalknowledge2016-Chapter8:
FlightInstruments(8-19),Pg.No:(223/524)

6. 6
FLIGHT MECHANICS - BASICS
Question Analysis | Book Reference | Important Concepts | Solutions
GATE 2007 PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS 2 Mark
Q3. An airplane is flying at an altitude of 10km above the sea level. Outside air temperature and density at
10km altitude are 223 K and 0.413 kg/m3 respectively. The airspeed indicator of the airplane indicates a
speed of 60 m/s. Density of air at sea level is 1.225 kg/m3 and value of the gas constant R is 288 J/(kg K).
The stagnation pressure (Po) measured by the Pitot tube mounted on the wing tip of the airplane will be of
magnitude
Solution: Given
h = 10 km = 10,000m; T = 223 K; ρ = 0.413 kg/m3; VIAS = 60 m/s
Sea-Level Condt: TSL = 288K; ρ 𝑆𝐿 = 1.225 kg/m3 ; R = 287 J/(kg K).
VTAS = VIAS x
ρ 𝑆𝐿
ρ
= 60 x
1.225
0.413
Answer: (C) 2.87 x 104 N/m2
1
2
ρ 𝑆𝐿vIAS
2
=
1
2
ρvTAS
2
= 103.334 m/s;
(A) 3.5 x 104 N/m2 (B) 2.0 x 104 N/m2
(C) 2.87 x 104 N/m2 (D) 0.6 x 104 N/m2
𝑝0𝑎 = 𝑝 𝑎 +
1
2
ρvTAS
2
𝑝 = ρ𝑅𝑇𝑎 = 0.413𝑥288𝑥223 = 26524.512 Pa
𝑝0𝑎 = 26524.512 +
1
2
0.413 x 103.3342
= 28729.512 Pa

7. 7