The zones of the panel
Look at the photograph above. Reading from left to right:
Flight instruments (left, in front of the pilot)
The cluster directly in front of the left seat holds the six primary flight instruments. They tell you how the aircraft is moving through the air: speed, attitude, altitude, rate of turn, heading, and rate of climb. The next lesson covers each one.
Engine and system gauges
Around and below the flight instruments are gauges for the engine: tachometer, oil pressure and temperature, fuel quantity, and electrical readings. In flight you glance at these periodically rather than watching them constantly.
The avionics stack (centre)
The vertical stack of boxes in the centre of the panel is the avionics: communication radios, navigation receivers, a GPS, a transponder, and an audio panel. The centre position puts them within reach of both seats.
Controls and switches (lower panel)
Below the instruments you will find the throttle, mixture, and other engine controls, plus rows of switches for lights, fuel pump, avionics master, and so on.
Glass cockpits
Many modern aircraft and simulators replace the round gauges with two large screens, a primary flight display and a multifunction display. The information is the same; it is just drawn differently. The lesson on primary flight instruments shows both styles.
Try it
Next time you look at a cockpit, in a simulator or in a photograph, find the three zones first. The individual instruments make much more sense once you know which zone you are looking at.
Key takeaways
- The panel is split into the pilot's flight instruments, the engine instruments, and the avionics stack.
- The six primary flight instruments sit directly in front of the pilot in a standard arrangement.
- Radios and navigation units live in the centre stack, within reach of both seats.
Educational material on this website is for familiarization and general interest. It does not replace instruction from a certificated flight instructor, and no simulator time described here should be assumed to count toward any pilot certificate or rating unless Signature-Sky Aviation has confirmed that status in writing.