The discussion of an ASI failure on another thread started me thinking about this...
Aircraft don't NEED instruments to fly. The early aviators didn't have any, as an instructor of mine pointed out to me during my PPL(A) training, when he covered the whole instrument panel and made me fly two circuits...to prove to me that I could.
However, most PILOTS need instruments to fly. I suspect that many of us wouldn't really be comfortable without at least some of our instruments. So which ones do we feel we need, and why? Personally...
Radio failure - no big deal. I carry a handheld anyway, but I'd be happy to fly and land non-radio.
DI - I'm comfortable flying with the compass; done it a lot in helicopters.
VSI - Not essential. I have a horizon, and an altimeter.
AI - not essential - often flown without one.
Altimeter - more difficult, and I wouldn't want to be in controlled airspace. But I can pretty much judge my height by the size of things on the ground, so not a problem.
ASI - As said on another thread, could use visual and audio cues, and usual power settings. However, I think I'd have a hard time with the approach, and would prefer to come in fast to a long runway. Any hints on doing this?
Compass (and no DI) - use a map, and the sun if you can see it. But I think I'd want to land ASAP if the sun wasn't around, as it's quite easy to get disorientated if you don't know which direction is which.
No instruments at all!
I'd fly at the usual power settings, listening carefully to the engine. I'd judge my height from the size of things on the ground. I'd use the sun and a map to work out where I was. And I'd land on the first runway I found!
But all advice would be appreciated. I know I probably haven't covered all instruments, but this wasn't meant to be comprehensive, more a subject for discussion. I think we could help each other here. Also, may I suggest we offer advice, not say things like: "If you can't fly without a xxxx maybe you shouldn't be flying". We haven't all had the benefit of excellent training and/or loads of experience. Some of us have to become good pilots more by a DIY process than anything else, paying money we can ill afford for less hours than we really need.
Oh, and before anyone flames me for not being confident about all this stuff, may I remind you that I'm a ROTARY FI(R), not f/w...which I fly for fun, not all that well, and not often enough.
