A pilot experienced an in-flight emergency with the failure of critical gyroscopic instruments (attitude indicator and directional gyro) due to a vacuum pump malfunction, complicated by an inoperative ...

Aviation instruments are highly interesting pieces of engineering, and it is quite satisfying to watch the often over-engineered mechanisms behind them. If you are into that sort of thing it is ...

Many critical gyroscopic flight instruments, particularly air- or vacuum-driven ones, are prone to mechanical failure (e.g., vacuum pump), which can lead to instrument disagreement. Such failures ...

[Ken] recently obtained an attitude indicator—sometimes called an artificial horizon—from an F-4 fighter jet. Unlike some indicators, the F-4’s can rotate to show pitch, roll, and yaw, so it moves in ...