Originally Posted by
SASless
Attitude Indicators.....primary or secondary instrument for Instrument Flying?
I did 8 years in the Beaufort Sea and high Arctic in the 212, 61 and 76 much of it at night. When we took off from a rig deck the calls are: PF "coming up" (applies power at least 15% above hover power), PNF calls "20", "40", "rotate" (5% nose down on the AI), PF calls "positive rate" (of climb).
I actually had an AI fail (slow tumble indicating roll right and nose down) with no flag just after rotation during a rig departure at night. I warned my co to get ready to take control if needed as I transitioned to the standby horizon in the centre of the panel.
We also did a lot of night slinging. When training new pilots I can recall a few times when the AI went all Grey then all Black, .... then all Grey again.
I suggested to the lads that when this happens it is simultaneously "wings level" (on the AI) and "pitch to zero" (on the AI), then evaluate.
Finally, all our engine out on takeoff drills were predicated on "x degrees nose down" (on the AI), accelerate to Vtoss, level (on the AI), then accelerate to Vbroc.
So my vote is "primary".