Learning objective: You decide whether you may trust attitude — the attitude indicator (AI / künstlicher Horizont) shows pitch and bank, not climb rate, and an OFF flag kills this instrument.

60 seconds: You are flying slowly and you pitch up. The horizon says pitch up, the VSI says descent. Both can be true. Remember: the AI is attitude relative to the horizon, not ft/min. And: no engine, no suction — a vacuum AI runs down.

The gyro is rigid in space with its spin axis vertical to the Earth (unlike the heading gyro). Erection holds it in the gravity field. The miniature aircraft is fixed to the case; the horizon bar stays parallel to the real horizon while the gyro is alive.

Typical trainer teaching, not a universal AFM: AI often vacuum (suction); turn coordinator often electric. They can fail separately. RPM, spin-up and the green suction arc: AFM / suction gauge, no invented RPM.

Engine failure: the engine-driven vacuum pump stops → flag / wander. The AI needs no pitot-static. Glass: attitude comes from AHRS, not “the screen”.

Gimbal limits and tumbling after unusual attitudes: type teaching. Erect again; do not ignore the flag.

“Nose on the horizon up = I am climbing.” That is wrong. People mix attitude with flight path. Stall and strong downdraughts: pitch up, height gone. Climb is confirmed on VSI and altimeter.

Exam knowledge

AI = pitch + bank. Not VSI, not heading.
Spin axis vertical to the Earth. Rigidity + erection.
Typical trainer AI vacuum, TC electric — separate failures.
Engine out → vacuum AI unreliable (pump on the engine).
OFF flag = this gyro invalid. Not a pitot-static instrument.
Nose-up ≠ climb.

Source: typical EASA PPL 020 gyro teaching. Power source, suction arc, spin-up: type AFM. No RPM figures invented here.

Check yourself

1. What does the attitude indicator show — and not show?

A) Rate of climb only
B) Pitch and bank relative to the horizon; not vertical speed
C) Magnetic heading
D) True altitude AMSL

2. Why does a vacuum AI fail after engine failure?

A) It needs the static port
B) The miniature aircraft is held by the avionics bus
C) Erection needs pitot pressure
D) The vacuum pump is engine-driven; the gyro runs down

B — pitch and bank. ROC is the VSI.
D — no engine, no vacuum. The AI is not a pitot-static instrument.