What is the role of the attitude indicator and heading indicator in flight?

• A. Attitude indicator shows pitch and roll; heading indicator shows aircraft heading.
• B. Attitude indicator shows altitude and heading; heading indicator shows pitch.
• C. Attitude shows airspeed; heading shows altitude.
• D. Attitude shows vertical speed; heading shows bank angle.

Answer: (A)

Understanding orientation and direction in flight relies on two primary instruments. The attitude indicator provides the artificial horizon and shows how the aircraft is pitched (nose up or down) and banked (rolled left or right). This is the main tool for keeping the nose at the desired angle and for coordinated turns, especially when you can’t rely on outside visual references.

The heading indicator gives the aircraft’s current magnetic heading, staying relatively stable as you fly. It’s gyro-stabilized to provide a steady directional readout, but it can drift over time, so you reset it periodically by aligning with the magnetic compass and cross-check with other references.

Altimeter, airspeed indicator, and vertical speed indicator are separate instruments that show altitude, speed, and vertical motion, respectively, not pitch, bank, or heading. So the first device focuses on pitch and roll, while the second focuses on heading.