Microsoft Flight Simulator Handbook

by Jonathan M. Stern

The Four fundamentals

The exact instrument scan pattern to use depends on the maneuver you want to perform. All possible maneuvers of an airplane have only four fundamental components. The four fundamentals are

1. straight and level
2. climbs
3. descents
4. turns

These components, alone or in combination, cover all possible flying maneuvers.

For each maneuver, there is one instrument that gives the primary indication of pitch performance, one instrument that gives the primary indication of bank performance, and one instrument that gives the primary indication of power performance.

Table 12.1 shows the primary pitch, bank, and power instruments for different maneuvers. On those maneuvers where manifold pressure or tachometer is listed as the primary power instrument, the tachometer is primary where the aircraft realism is selected to simulate a fixed-pitch propeller and manifold pressure is primary where the simulation realism is selected to simulate a constant-speed propeller.

TABLE 12.1 Primary Pitch, Bank, and Power Instruments for Various Maneuvers Maneuver Pitch Bank Power Straight and Level Altimeter Heading Airspeed Constant Airspeed Climb Airspeed Heading Manifold Pressure or Tachometer Constant Rate Climb VSI Heading Airspeed Standard Rate Turn Altimeter Turn Coordinator Airspeed Constant Bank Turn Altimeter Attitude Airspeed Constant Airspeed Descent Airspeed Heading Manifold Pressure or Tachometer Constant Rate Descent VSI Heading Airspeed

Table of Contents
Previous Section: Basic Attitude Instrument Flying
Next Section: Straight and Level flight