What component is the sensing device in an electromechanical autopilot system?

What component is the sensing device in an electromechanical autopilot system?

• A. Accelerometer
• B. Rate gyro
• C. Turn coordinator
• D. Gyro

Answer: (D)

In an electromechanical autopilot, the sensing device is a gyro because it provides information about how the aircraft is rotating. Gyros detect angular motion on the roll, pitch, and yaw axes, giving the autopilot the current attitude and rate of turn to compare with the commanded input and drive corrective servos. An accelerometer measures linear acceleration, which isn’t the primary basis for determining orientation. A turn coordinator is a cockpit instrument that uses a gyro to show turn rate to the pilot, but it isn’t the autopilot’s sensing element. A rate gyro is a specific type of gyro that measures angular rate, but the general gyro serves as the sensing device for the autopilot.

In an electromechanical autopilot, the sensing device is a gyro because it provides information about how the aircraft is rotating. Gyros detect angular motion on the roll, pitch, and yaw axes, giving the autopilot the current attitude and rate of turn to compare with the commanded input and drive corrective servos. An accelerometer measures linear acceleration, which isn’t the primary basis for determining orientation. A turn coordinator is a cockpit instrument that uses a gyro to show turn rate to the pilot, but it isn’t the autopilot’s sensing element. A rate gyro is a specific type of gyro that measures angular rate, but the general gyro serves as the sensing device for the autopilot.