A Technical Trivia Question .... Options

[glnflwrs]

What was used as the first flight instrument?

What purpose did it serve?

Who developed it?


Anybody know?

I do.

[Kilrah]

The yaw string dates from the earliest days of aviation, and actually was the first flight instrument. The Wright Brothers used a yaw string on their 1902 glider tied on their front mounted elevator.

The yaw string, also known as a slip string, is a simple device for indicating a slip or skid in an aircraft in flight. It performs the same function as the slip-skid indicator ball, but is more sensitive, and does not require the pilot to look down at the instrument panel. Technically, it measures sideslip angle, not yaw angle, but this indicates how the aircraft must be yawed to return the sideslip angle to zero.

Interesting!

[bram172pilot]

First Flight instrument had to be the compass. Does it even classify as a flight instrument?

[galaxy]

First Flight instrument had to be the compass. Does it even classify as a flight instrument?

Of course,imagine all those direction indicators in the sky ! ! ! !

[trijetflyermd11]

My guess goes to a watch...

[glnflwrs]

Kilrah quoted a wikipedia article naming the "yaw string" as the first.

Today, on the Military Channel, Jimmy Doolittle was profiled and they stated that he developed the artificial horizon as the first flight instrument in 1920.

He filled a quart jar half full of water and fastened it horizontally on the top of the instrument panel. A painted line showed the water level on level ground.

They probably cited it as the first cockpit flight instrument.

[ChillSpiller]

Interesting question. I must say it left me clueless and thinking... after all I would have gone with Kilrahs guess or the watch. We still use those strings on our gliders. They are attached to the front of the canopy and always show you if the airflow around the A/C is coming up straight or not. Very simple but effective technique. During the first couple of flights all you try is getting that damn string to calm down and straighten out. Once you get the hang of it you'll be happy to have it though. Lift is only at its best if the airflow around the wings is at its best.

Now that artificial horizon was a rather poor invention of Doolittle if I understood it correctly... Doesn't gravity and lateral forces (G-forces) influence the water inside the jar? Thank god someone invented gyros at some point...

[Kilrah]

Yeah, it's actually closer to what a ball does... if you do a coordinated turn your water "horizon" will be nice and flat as if you were flying straight and level...

[talldude]

Yaw strings are fun, thats all I had on the glider I once flew.

[p3flighteng1]

I have heard the water in the jar story as well. As far as first inst. , probably vfr and no idea of slip or cooridinated turn( spell check). Fdi shows nose low or high a little on deck depending on aircraft so we may be looking to indepth. I might roll with direction ie compass of some sort, as a first. They had them before flight!! Just from a Flight Engineer. PS for turns, most use 2 min, gliders 1 min, and some jets 4 min. I doubt they started with one of those. P3 FE

[Piltdown Man]

I'll give some wild guesses in order: Yawstring, Altimeter, Fuel gauge, Slip Indicator, ASI, VSI, Turn and slip, VSI and lastly Artificial Horizon (apparenty developed by Sperry Inc. with help of James (Jimmy) Dolittle). Compass and clock were used as soon as they were taken on board by hand.

PM

PS: Water can only be used as a slip indicator.