Partial Panel & Systems Failures in IMC
Key recognition cues and actions for alternator, vacuum/AHRS, pitot-static, GPS, and autopilot failures in the clouds.
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Questions Covered in This Set
12 cards to master
Universal first move in any IMC failure
Aviate using one instrument you know is telling the truth — stop trusting the panel as a whole and fly a known-good reference.
Which instruments survive a vacuum failure in a steam-gauge airplane?
The electric turn coordinator, the pitot-static ASI/VSI/altimeter, and the magnetic (whiskey) compass. The AI and HI fail together.
Instruments used for the classic partial-panel 'synthetic attitude indicator'
Turn coordinator + altimeter + VSI + ASI + magnetic compass: bank from the TC/heading trend, pitch from altimeter, VSI, and airspeed together.
How long does a 90° standard-rate turn take, and why does it matter?
Standard rate is 3°/sec, so 90° takes 30 seconds — time the turn, roll level, then verify with the compass.
Correct pitch technique partial-panel
Fly power + trim by known numbers (e.g., 2300 RPM and level trim = level flight); do not chase the VSI, which leads to a graveyard spiral.
Alternator failure: symptoms and first actions
Ammeter discharge, low-voltage annunciator, avionics acting strange. Run the checklist (alt field breaker, one master reset), then load shed aggressively.
What must you NEVER shed during electrical load shedding?
Pitot heat, and the one comm radio and one nav source you need to fly the approach.
Realistic battery endurance after an alternator failure
About 20–45 minutes on a healthy battery, far less on an old one — land soon at an airport with an approach you can fly on minimal equipment.
Why is a slowly failing vacuum attitude indicator so dangerous?
It fails gradually and lies — leaning into a gentle bank while still looking plausible; cross-check TC vs AI and compass vs HI, then cover failed instruments.
Pitot and drain both blocked by ice: what does the ASI do?
It acts like an altimeter — IAS increases in a climb and decreases in a descent.
Blocked static port: indications
Altimeter freezes, VSI reads zero, ASI reads low in a climb and high in a descent.
What are no-gyro vectors?
ATC says 'turn left… stop turn' and you fly standard rate turns (half-standard once on final) when heading/attitude gyros are lost.
