Gyroscopic instruments and their application to flight testing

The use of gyroscopic instruments to support flight testing is discussed. Gyroscopic instruments are used in flight tests to measure the aircraft angular accelerations and rates, attitude and heading and - in combination with accelerometers - the linear acceleration, the ground velocity and the position. The measuring principles, the technical layout and the error behavior of the sensors and systems used for these measurements are described. Gyros, accelerometers, attitude and heading references and inertial navigation systems are included. Integrated and hybrid sensor systems as they are used in modern instrumentation systems are considered. Examples of actual flight instrumentation systems are described and the requirements for the gyroscopic sensors in these systems are discussed for applications in aircraft stability and control flight tests, in performance tests and in airborne and ground systems calibration and testing.