GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E.

CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 1

Instruments:

1. Flight Insruments
1) Pitot Static Instruments

The Pitot Static System relies on a Pitot Tube to measure the dynamic pressure due
to the forward motion of the airplane through the air, and Static Vents to measure the
static, outside barometric pressure as the airplane gains or loses altitude. The three
flight instruments connected to the Pitot Static System include the Airspeed Indicator,
Altimeter, and Vertical Speed Indicator.

A. Airspeed Indicator

The Airspeed Indicator measures the speed of the aircraft through the air, but really
this is the speed at which the air is flowing over the airplane. And remember, this is
not a measurement of ground speed. The dial is usually calibrated in Nautical
miles known as KNOTS.

The airspeed indicator is connected to the Pitot Static System. To give areading
of speed through the air, the flight instrument measures the difference between
the dynamic pressure in the Pitot Tube and the atmospheric pressure from the
Static vent. When the airplane is standing still on the ground, the pressure in the
two systems will be the same resulting in a reading of zero. However, when the
airplane is travelling through the air, the dynamic pressure in the Pitot system
will increase and a reading is registered.

The Indicated airspeed (IAS) is the reading displayed on the face of the instrument.
The small windows at the top and bottom of the Airspeed Indicator are used
for determining True Airspeed (TAS). Remember, the Airspeed Indicator displays
the Indicated Air Speed (IAS), and adjustments are needed to calculate the
Calibrated Airspeed (CAS) and True Airspeed (TAS).

Speed Ranges and limitations are marked on the Airspeed Indicator and are specific
to the make and model of the aircraft. Different makes and models of airplanes will
have the markings at different speeds based on limitations of each aircraft.
Typically Green markings on instruments reflect normal operations, and Red
markings reflect abnormal operations or limitations.

B. Altimeter
The altimeter reflects the aircraft's vertical height above MSL (mean sea level) corrected
for outside air pressure. The pilot sets the appropriate pressure setting (a local setting
for those flying below 18,000 feet), and the altimeter will depict the
corresponding altitude above MSL.The altimeter works similar to a basic barometer, by
comparing the static pressure inside of a sealed aneroid capsule to the expanding or
contracting pressure surrounding it. When the airplane ascends or descends, the air
pressure will decrease or increase, respectively. This outside air pressure is constantly
being compared to the pressure inside the aneroid capsule, and with the help of linkage
and a pointer, the altitude is displayed on the cockpit instrument.
GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 2

C. Vertical Speed Indicator

The Rate of Climb and Rate of Descent are indicated on the Vertical Speed
Indicator (VSI). This is measured in Feet Per Minute, and displayed in Hundreds of
FPM. The VSI flight instrument measures the vertical speed (vertical velocity, or rate
of climb). This instrument is connected to the static air pressure system. There is
a standard barometric pressure change with altitude changes, and this standard
rate of change is calibrated to measure the aircraft’s change in altitude and rate
of change. The pilot relies on both the Altimeter and the Vertical Speed Indicator to
monitor altitude and altitude changes. At a glance, the VSI shows the pilot if they
are flying at a steady altitude, or if they are ascending or descending, and the rate
at which their altitude is changing in feet per minute.

2) Gyroscopic Instruments

A Gyroscope is a rotor or spinning wheel, rotating at a high speed. Usually, this is

powered by the Vacuum System Pump. Gyroscopic Inertia is the tendency of a
rotating body to maintain its plane of rotation, known as Rigidity in Space.
Gyroscopic Precession is the tendency of a rotating body to consistently react to a
force being applied by turning in the direction of its rotation exactly 90 degrees to its
axis. These principles of physics are used to make very precise Flight Instruments
including the Attitude Indicator, Heading Indicator, and Turn Coordinator.

A. Attitude Indicator

The Attitude Indicator is also called the artificial horizon or the gyro horizon. This
flight instrument depicts the position of the airplane in relation to the horizon. It
shows whether the wings are level, and if the plane is climbing or descending, or
flying straight and level. A pair of wings represents the attitude of the aircraft. Behind
the aircraft is a ball. The top is blue, representing the sky, and the bottom half is
usually brown, representing the ground. As the airplane manoeuvres in the air, the
pair of wings will show the degree of bank and pitch attitude.The Attitude Indicator is
a Gyroscopic Instrument, and it uses a Gyroscope to stabilize a horizon bar which
stays parallel to the natural horizon. The miniature airplane in the centre of the
Attitude Indicator will pitch and bank around the horizon bar to indicate the
airplanes current attitude relative to the horizon.

B. Heading Indicator

A basic tool for navigation, the heading indicator provides directional information to

the pilot similar to the way a magnetic compass does. The heading indicator itself is
not north-seeking but can depict an accurate heading when aligned to a
magnetic compass. The heading indicator is a gyroscopic instrument and can
be vacuum-driven or electrically powered. As the aircraft turns left or right, the
heading indicator will change to depict a new heading between zero and 359 degrees
on a compass card. A miniature aircraft is located in the center of the indicator and
turns with the airplane while the gyroscope (and coinciding linkage) turn the
compass card on the instrument. In a left turn, the miniature airplane appears to turn
left while the compass card turns right.
 GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 3

C. Turn Coordinator

The turn coordinator is another gyroscopic instrument that can be either electric or
vacuum-driven. It's one of the simplest instruments, with a miniature airplane that dips
its wings one way or another to show the rate of turn or rate or roll. When a pilot rolls
the airplane into a turn, the miniature airplane quickly shows a corresponding roll. There
are tick marks on the instrument that are calibrated to depict a standard rate turn for an
airplane (a 360-degree standard-rate turn takes two minutes).The turn coordinator also
includes an inclinometer, which is a ball suspended in a fluid that reacts like a pendulum
during turning flight. The ball acts in response to gravity and turning forces and will
depict a coordinated or uncoordinated turn. The pilot can then counteract an
uncoordinated turn with the use of rudder movement, avoiding a slipping or skidding
turn.

2. Engine Instruments

Engine instruments are those designed to measure operating parameters of the

aircraft’s engines. These are usually quantity, pressure, and temperature indications.
They also include measuring engine speeds. The most common engine instruments are
the fuel and oil quantity and pressure gauges, tachometers, and temperature gauges.

A. Reciprocating Engines


Oil Pressure Fuel quantity
Oil temperature Fuel pressure
Cylinder head temperature Tachometer
Manifold pressure Carburetor temperature

B. Turbine Engines

Oil temperature Fuel Pressure

Exhaust gas temperature Fuel flow
Turbine inlet temperature Tachometer
Engine pressure ratio Torquemeter
Fuel quantity

C. Engine Oil Pressure

The most important instrument used by pilots to perceive the health of an
engine is the engine oil pressure gauge. Oil pressure is usually indicated in psi.
The normal operating range is typically represented by a green arc on the
circular gauge.

D. Manifold pressure
In Reciprocating engine aircraft, the manifold pressure gauge indicates
the pressure of the air in the engines induction manifold. This is an indication
of power being developed by the engine.

E. Engine Pressure Ratio

Turbine engines have their own pressure indication that relates the power
 being developed by the engine. It is called the engine pressure ratio
indicator gauge. This gauge compares the total exhaust pressure to the
pressure of the ram air at the inlet of the engine.

GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 4

F. Fuel Pressure
Fuel pressure gauges also provide critical information to the pilot. Typically,
fuel is pumped out of various fuel tanks on the aircraft for use by the engines.
A malfunctioning fuel pump, or a tank that has been emptied beyond the
point at which there is sufficient fuel entering the pump to maintain desired
output pressure, is a condition that requires the pilots immediate attention.

G. Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauge

The EGT is the primary instrument to help the regulation of the fuel/air mixture.
The red cursor indicates temperature never exceed.

H. Engine indicating and crew alerting system

EICAS, is an integrated system used in modern aircraft to provide aircraft crew
with aircraft engines and other systems instrumentation and crew annuctions.
On EICAS equipped aircraft the “recommended remedial action” is called a
checklist.

I. Vacuum Gauge
This is usually a very instrument situated at the lower left of the panel. In monitors
the condition of the vacuum system which is driven from the engine. The
vacuum system drives the gyros for the attitude indicator and direction indicator.

J. Fuel Flow
This instrument measures (US gallons/hours) the fuel flow to the engine.
This instrument illustrated above also combines the manifold pressure gauge.
The manifold pressure is used on complex aircraft and monitors the power setting
of the engine.

3. Navigation Instruments
 GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 5

Systems:
 GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 6

1. Trim System
A manually-operated elevator trim tab is provided. Elevator trimming is
accomplished through the elevator trim tab by utilizing the vertically mounted trim
control wheel. Forward rotation of the trim wheel will trim nose-down; conversely, aft
rotation will trim nose-up.

2. Wing Flap System

The wing flaps are of the single-slot type, and are extended or retracted by positioning
the wing flap switch lever on the instrument panel to the desired flap deflection position.
The switch lever is moved up or down in a slot in the instrument panel that
provides mechanical stops at the 10 and 20 degree positions. For flap settings greater
than 10 degrees, move the switch lever to the right to clear the stop and position it
as desired. A scale and pointer on the left side of the switch lever indicates flap travel
in degrees. The wing flap system circuit is protected by a 15-ampere circuit breaker,
labelled FLAP, on the right side of the instrument panel.
3. Landing Gear System
The landing gear is of the tricycle type with a steerable nose wheel, two main wheels,
and wheel fairings. Shock absorption is provided by the tubular spring-steel main
landing gear struts and the air/oil nose gear shock strut. Each main gear wheel is
equipped with a hydraulic ally actuated disc-type brake on the inboard side of each
wheel, and an aerodynamic fairing over each brake.

4. Engine Oil System

An oil sump on the bottom of the bottom of the engine supplies a total capacity of six
quarts to the engine for lubrication. The oil is drawn from the sump through a filter screen
on the end of a pick-up tube to the engine driven oil pump. The pump feeds the oil,
under pressure, through a filter screen, and is then circulated to the left and right
oil galleries. The engine parts are then lubricated, under pressure, from the galleries.
Oil pressure to the galleries is regulated by a pressure relief valve at the rear of the right
oil gallery. After lubricating the engine, the oil returns to the sump by gravity. If a full flow
oil filter is installed, the filter adapter is equipped with a bypass valve which will
cause lubricating oil to bypass the filter in the event the filter becomes plugged, or the
oil temperature is extremely cold.

GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 7

5. Ignition-starter System
Engine ignition is provided by two engine-driven magnetos, and two spark plugs in
each cylinder. The right magneto fires both left and right upper spark plugs, and the
left magneto fires both left and right lower spark plugs. Normal operation is conducted
with both magnetos due to the more complete burning of the fuel-air mixture with
dual ignition.

6. Air Induction System

The engine air induction system receives ram air through an intake in the lower front
portion of the engine cowling. The intake is covered by an air filter which removes dust
and other foreign matter from the induction air. Airflow passing through the filter enters
an air box. After passing through the air box, induction air enters the inlet in the carburetor
which is under the engine, and is then ducted to the engine cylinders through intake
manifold tubes. In the event carburetor ice is encountered or the intake filter
becomes blocked, alternate heated air can be obtained from the right muffler shroud
through a duct to a valve, in the air box, operated by the carburetor heat control on
the instrument panel. Heated air from the muffler shroud is obtained from an
unfiltered outside source. Use of full carburetor heat at full throttle will result in a loss
of approximately 200 to 250 RPM.

7. Exhaust System
Exhaust gas from each cylinder passes through riser assemblies to a muffler and tailpipe
on each side of the engine. Each muffler is constructed with a shroud around the
outside which forms a heating chamber for carburetor heat and cabin heater air.

8. Carburetor and Priming System

The engine is equipped with an up-draft, float-type, fixed jet carburetor mounted on
the bottom of the engine. The carburetor is equipped with an enclosed accelerator
pump, simplified fuel passages to prevent vapor locking, an idle cut-off mechanism,
and a manual mixture control. Fuel is delivered to the carburetor by gravity flow from the
fuel system. In the carburetor, fuel is atomized, proportionally mixed with intake air,
and delivered to the cylinders through intake manifold tubes. The proportion of atomized
fuel to air is controlled, within limits, by the mixture control on the instrument panel.

9. Cooling System
Ram air for engine cooling enters through two intake openings in the front of the
engine cowling. The cooling air is directed around the cylinders and other areas of
the engine by baffling, and is then exhausted through an opening at the bottom aft edge
of the cowling. No manual cooling system control is provided.

10. Fuel System

The airplane may be equipped with either a standard fuel system or a long range
system Both systems consist of two vented fuel tanks (one in each wing), a fuel
shutoff valve, fuel strainer, manual primer, and carburetor. Refer to figure 7-5 for
fuel quantity data for both systems. Fuel flows by gravity from the two wing tanks to a
fuel shutoff valve. With the valve in the ON position, fuel flows through a strainer to
the carburetor. From the carburetor, mixed fuel and air flows to the cylinders through
intake manifold tubes. The manual primer draws its fuel from the fuel strainer and injects
it into the intake manifold.

GUIAO, PAULINE KAILA E. CESSNA 150 INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

ASSIGNMENT#1 ISSUE#1
AIRSYSTEMS
JUNE 13, 2019 PAGE 8

11. Brake System

The airplane has a single-disc, hydraulically-actuated brake on each main landing
gear wheel. Each brake is connected, by a hydraulic line, to a master cylinder attached
to each of the pilot's rudder pedals. The brakes are operated by applying pressure to
the top of either the left (pilot's) or right (co-pilot's) set of rudder pedals, which
are interconnected. When the airplane is parked, both main wheel brakes may be set
by utilizing the parking brake which is operated by a knob on the lower left side of
the instrument panel.

12. Electrical System

Electrical energy (see figure 7-7) is supplied by a 14-volt, direct current system powered
by an engine-driven, 60-amp alternator. The 12-volt,25-amp hour battery is located on
the right, forward side of the firewall. Power is supplied through a single bus bar; a
master switch controls this power to all circuits, except the engine ignition system, clock,
or flight hour recorder, if installed. The flight hour recorder receives power through
activation of an oil pressure switch whenever the engine is operating; the clock is
supplied with current at all times. All avionics equipment should be turned off prior to
starting the engine or using an external power source to prevent harmful transient
voltages from damaging the transistors in this equipment.

13. Lighting Systems

A. Exterior Lighting
Conventional navigation lights are located on the wing tips and top of the rudder, a
single landing light is installed in the cowl nose cap, and a flashing beacon is
mounted on top of the vertical fin. Additional lighting is available and includes
dual landing/taxi lights in the cowl nose cap and a strobe light on each wing tip.
All exterior lights are controlled by rocker type switches on the lower left side of
the instrument panel. The switches are ON in the up position and OFF in the
down position.

B. Interior Lighting
Instrument and control panel lighting is provided by flood lighting and integral
lighting. Two concentric rheostat control knobs on the lower left side of the
instrument panel, labeled PANEL LT, RADIO LT, control the intensity of both flood
and integral lighting. Instrument and control panel flood lighting consists of a single
red flood light in the forward part of the overhead console. To use the flood
lighting, rotate the PANEL LT rheostat control knob clockwise to the desired intensity.

14. Vacuum System

An engine-driven vacuum system (see figure 7-9) provides the suction necessary to
operate the attitude indicator and directional indicator. The system consists of a
vacuum pump mounted on the engine, a vacuum relief valve and vacuum system air filter
on the aft side of the firewall below the instrument panel, and instruments (including
a suction gage) on the left side of the instrument panel.

15. Stall Warning System

The airplane is equipped with a pneumatic-type stall warning system consisting of an inlet
in the leading edge of the left wing, an air-operated horn near the upper left corner of
the windshield, and associated plumbing. As the airplane approaches a stall, the
low pressure on the upper surface of the wing moves forward around the leading edge of
the wing. This low pressure creates a differential pressure in the stall warning system
which draws air through the warning horn, resulting in an audible warning at 5 to 10
knots above stall in all flight conditions.