An instrument that uses an artificial horizon and miniature airplane to depict the airplane's position relative to the true horizon, and senses roll as well as pitch, is the:

• A. Attitude Indicator
• B. Altimeter
• C. Heading Indicator
• D. Vertical Speed Indicator

Answer: (A)

The instrument described is the Attitude Indicator. It provides a live picture of the aircraft’s position relative to the horizon by using an artificial horizon and a fixed miniature airplane. The gyroscope inside senses rotation about the aircraft’s roll and pitch axes, so you can see both bank (roll) and nose position (pitch). This helps you maintain level flight and awareness of orientation when outside references are limited. It does not measure altitude (that’s the altimeter), heading (that’s the heading indicator), or vertical speed (that’s the vertical speed indicator).