As someone who has practiced partial panel flying more times than I can count, I learned everything about instrument failures through systematic training. Probably should have led with this: flying with failed gyros is challenging but absolutely manageable with proper technique.
Dedicated today’s entire lesson to practicing simulated instrument failures. When you find yourself in actual IMC, you need to be ready for anything.
Setting Up the Scenario
My instructor covered the attitude indicator and heading indicator to simulate a vacuum system failure – one of the most common partial panel scenarios we encounter. Suddenly you are flying with just the airspeed indicator, altimeter, turn coordinator, and magnetic compass.
That magnetic compass is notoriously difficult to use accurately. It lags during turns, leads when accelerating, and oscillates wildly in turbulence. But it becomes your only heading reference when the gyros fail.
Refining the Technique
The key is using the turn coordinator to establish a standard rate turn, then timing it carefully. A 180-degree turn takes one minute at standard rate. Need to turn to a specific heading? Calculate the degrees of turn and divide by three for the seconds required. That has gotten complicated with all the mental math involved, but the formula works every time.
We practiced timed turns to specific headings, unusual attitude recoveries using limited instruments, and tracking a VOR radial without a heading indicator. The workload is significantly higher than normal, but it becomes absolutely doable with focused practice.
Why Every Pilot Needs This Skill
Vacuum pumps fail without warning. Pilots who have not practiced partial panel flying often do not survive the encounter – that is the sobering reality. This is one of those skills you hope you will never need but absolutely must have.
Logged 1.2 hours of simulated instrument time. Brain is thoroughly tired but the muscle memory is building. That is what makes this training so valuable.
