Your first look inside the cockpit
Make sense of the instruments at a glance.
Recognize what airspeed, altitude and attitude instruments describe.
The flight picture
An airspeed indicator describes speed relative to the surrounding air. An altimeter uses air pressure to indicate altitude. An attitude indicator depicts aircraft orientation relative to the horizon.
No single instrument tells the whole story
Pilots combine information from several instruments and outside references when conditions permit. Understanding what an instrument measures helps avoid incorrect assumptions.
Your next step
Revisit the glossary for altitude, heading, pitch and roll, then try the Aviation Fundamentals quiz.
Ready for a knowledge check?
Try a related five-question challenge with explanations after every answer.
Test your understandingYour Foundations knowledge check
Sample lesson · Editorial review pending. Educational introduction, not flight instruction.
Further reading: FAA handbook