DGCA Air Navigation: Artificial Horizon & Attitude Questions
44 exam-style Artificial Horizon & Attitude questions for the DGCA Air Navigation paper (CPL · ATPL · PPL). The first 12 are free below with answers and explanations — sign up free to practise all of them with progress tracking.
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Q1
When an aircraft has turned 270 degrees with a constant attitude and bank, the pilot observes the following on a classic artificial horizon :
- A too much nose-up and bank too high.
- B too much nose-up and bank too low.
- C attitude and bank correct.
- D too much nose-up and bank correct.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. too much nose-up and bank too high.
In a sustained turn the artificial horizon's gravity erector is deflected by the resultant of gravity and centripetal acceleration, precessing the gyro so it erects to a false vertical. After 270 degrees of turn the accumulated errors leave the bar low, giving an apparent excessive nose-up together with a bank that reads too high.
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Q2
How many degrees of freedom and what is the spin axis of an attitude indicator?
- A Local earth vertical two degrees of freedom.
- B Aircraft lateral axis two degrees of freedom.
- C Aircraft horizontal axis one degree of freedom.
- D aircraft longitudinal axis three degrees of freedom.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Local earth vertical two degrees of freedom.
An attitude indicator has two degrees of freedom with a vertical (local-earth) spin axis.
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Q3
When an aircraft has turned 360 degrees with a constant attitude and bank, the pilot observes the following on a classic artificial horizon :
- A attitude and bank correct
- B too much nose-up and bank too low
- C too much nose-up and bank correct
- D too much nose-up and bank too high
Show answer
Correct answer: A. attitude and bank correct
Over a complete 360-degree turn the erection errors introduced during the turn build up and then cancel, so on rolling out the artificial horizon again indicates the correct attitude and bank.
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Q4
What would be the indication on an attitude indicator in a right turn?
- A Climb due to pendulous vanes.
- B No climb.
- C Descent due to pendulous vanes.
- D Correct pitch and bank at all times.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Climb due to pendulous vanes.
Turn acceleration acts on the pendulous vanes, precessing the gyro to show a false climb.
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Q5
When an aircraft has turned 90 degrees with a constant attitude and bank, the pilot observes the following on a classic artificial horizon :
- A too much nose-up and bank too low
- B attitude and bank correct
- C too much nose-up and bank correct
- D too much nose-up and bank too high
Show answer
Correct answer: A. too much nose-up and bank too low
Early in a turn the gravity erector precesses the gyro in pitch and roll; after 90 degrees the horizon shows an apparent nose-up with the bar low and the bank reading too low.
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Q6
What will a classic artificial horizon indicate when turning through 90 degrees at constant attitude and bank angle?
- A Correct bank angle and attitude.
- B Too much bank and too much nose up attitude.
- C Too little bank and too little nose up attitude.
- D Too little bank and too much nose up attitude.
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Too little bank and too much nose up attitude.
After 90° of turn the horizon over-reads pitch (nose-up) and under-reads bank.
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Q7
A gravity type erector is used in a vertical gyro device to correct errors on :
- A an artificial horizon
- B a directional gyro unit
- C a turn indicator
- D a gyromagnetic indicator
Show answer
Correct answer: A. an artificial horizon
The gravity (pendulous) erector keeps the gyro spin axis vertical and so corrects the erection errors of the artificial horizon, which is a vertical gyro instrument.
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Q8
An Al has?
- A One degree of freedom and a lateral spin axis.
- B Two degrees of freedom and a vertical spin axis.
- C Two degrees of freedom and a horizontal spin axis.
- D One degree of freedom and a vertical spin axis.
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Two degrees of freedom and a vertical spin axis.
An attitude indicator is a vertical-axis gyro with two degrees of freedom.
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Q9
Following 180° stabilized turn with a constant attitude and bank, the artificial horizon indicates :
- A too high pitch-up and too low banking
- B too high pitch-up and correct banking
- C attitude and banking correct
- D too high pitch up and too high banking
Show answer
Correct answer: A. too high pitch-up and too low banking
The turn-induced erector errors leave the artificial horizon after 180 degrees showing an apparent nose-up with the bar low, and the bank reading too low.
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Q10
How will a basic Al respond if an aircraft performs a 270 degree turn at constant bank angle and ROT?
- A Nose up and bank.
- B Nose down and bank.
- C Nose level and bank.
- D Correct bank and pitch.
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Nose up and bank.
At 270° the horizon shows nose-up with a residual (excess) bank indication.
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Q11
During an acceleration phase at constant attitude, the resetting principle of the artificial horizon results in the horizon bar indicating a :
- A nose-up attitude
- B nose-down attitude
- C constant attitude
- D nose-down followed by a nose-up attitude
Show answer
Correct answer: A. nose-up attitude
During forward acceleration the pendulous erector is displaced rearward, precessing the gyro so the horizon bar falsely indicates a nose-up (climb) attitude even though the pitch has not changed.
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Q12
Aircraft attitude is indicated on?
- A EICAS/ECAM primary display
- B EFIS ND.
- C EFIS PFD.
- D All of the above.
Show answer
Correct answer: C. EFIS PFD.
Aircraft attitude is displayed on the EFIS Primary Flight Display (PFD).
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