Multiple choice

The heading indicator works on the principle of ____ of gyros.

  1. precession

  2. rigidity

  3. both (1) and (2)

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The heading indicator (directional gyro) operates on the principle of gyroscopic rigidity - a spinning gyroscope maintains its axis of rotation in space. This rigidity allows it to maintain a fixed reference direction as the aircraft turns. While some gyroscopic instruments use precession (like the turn coordinator), the heading indicator primarily relies on rigidity to maintain its heading reference, with precession only used for mechanical correction purposes.

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