Partial-panel procedures: what is their purpose in flight?

• A. Partial-panel procedures are used to maintain control when a basic instrument is inoperative; rely on remaining instruments and natural horizon
• B. Partial-panel means you switch to autopilot
• C. Partial-panel indicates flight should be terminated
• D. Partial-panel has no guidance

Answer: (A)

When a basic flight instrument is inoperative, partial-panel procedures are used to keep the airplane under control by relying on the remaining instruments and the outside horizon if visibility allows. The idea is to continue flying safely by cross-checking the functioning instruments to infer attitude and flight path, rather than depending on the failed gauge.

In practice, you monitor instruments that are still working—such as heading, airspeed, altitude, and turn or bank information—and use any available outside visual reference to confirm your attitude. This approach lets you maintain controlled flight, stabilize the airplane, and manage pitch and bank through the information you can trust, while you work to restore or replace the failed instrument or transition to safer conditions.

Switching to autopilot, terminating the flight, or claiming there’s no guidance aren’t the purposes of partial-panel procedures.