No instruments are needed - none whatsoever. Can you fly all the standard VFR training maneuvers, from stalls and slow flight to chandelles and lazy eights, without instrument reference? I certainly hope so. If not, you have been cheated, snookered, and robbed during your flight training. The wing and throttle positions, engine noise, and control pressures provide enough basic information for a properly trained pilot to fly all maneuvers safely in visual conditions.
The magnetic compass is the first instrument that I would add to my empty instrument panel because orientation is my first priority. Where was I, where am I, and where am I going? (Please don't use the term situational awareness. It bugs me.) The magnetic compass is required to fly a specific course and to remain oriented during cross-country flights.
Next, I will add a clock. Time, distance, and a constant heading are the keys to successful navigation. Time, actual fuel consumption, and initial fuel quantity are the keys for fuel-remaining calculations; gauges are unreliable.
Engine health and limitations will follow. I now want engine oil pressure and temperature gauges so that I can monitor engine condition. If oil pressure drops to zero but temperature remains constant, I will not declare an emergency because I probably have a bad oil pressure gauge. But if pressure drops and temperature rises, I am faced with a forced landing.
Next I'll add an engine tachometer and a cylinder head temperature gauge. Now, I'm really in command of the powerplant, the device in which I place tremendous trust.
OK, I will add an airspeed indicator so that I can reference airframe limitations and make airspeed computations for navigation. I can now reference various airspeeds: stall, approach, flap and landing gear extension, maneuvering, maximum structural cruise, and never-exceed. I can also determine the approximate true airspeed by increasing the indicated airspeed 2 percent per 1,000 feet of altitude. If you believe that landings are impossible without an airspeed indicator, you have not mastered the fundamental concepts of attitude, power, and control feel.
Finally, I will add an altimeter. Observing planet Earth from very low altitudes has always endeared me to flying, and believe me, with a little practice it is easy to estimate your altitude when flying below 2,000 feet above ground level. With the altimeter I can fly above 3,000 feet agl and comply with the proper cruise altitudes.
In the 1960s, general aviation instrument flying became more popular due to improved avionics equipment, but many instrument-rated pilots had accidents when flying in instrument conditions. To stop this trend, the FAA introduced integrated flight instruction - the use of both instrument and visual references when a maneuver was introduced during initial flight training. For the past several years, however, stall-spin accidents have become a primary concern.
What caused this new problem? Too much reliance on the flight instruments. Today, many pilots cannot fly the most basic visual maneuvers without instrument reference. Fortunately, we now have excellent flight simulators and flight training devices, and when these tools are properly utilized for instrument training, we can easily exceed the original intent of integrated flight instruction and return to time-proven visual flying techniques during basic flight training.
On your next flight, cover up the instruments and fly the wing, the common denominator for all airplanes and the tool that makes flight possible. It's easy to do, it's fun - and it will greatly enhance your self-confidence.
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