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The inertial system uses deviations to generate
corrective commands to drive the system from
a position where it is, to a position where it
isn¶t, arriving at the position where it wasn¶t, it
now is. Consequently the position where it is,
is now the position where it wasn¶t and it
follows the position where it was is the
position where it isn¶t.

Copyright: ARINC 561 Manual, August 1976

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Completely self-
self-contained navigation system
capable of providing great circle tracks over
random routes without reference to external
information sources.
- The most complex and expensive flightdeck
navigation system currently in use.
- Still the nav system of choice for many operations.
- Developed for the military ± accurate, reliable, not
susceptible to signal jamming or erroneous signal
transmission.
- Extremely simple in concept, extremely
complicated in execution.
- Sometimes described as a very accurate deaddead--
reckoning system.
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Starts from a known point, advances estimated position based

on speed, direction and time.
- Uses acceleration (changes in speed & direction) in place of
speed itself.
- Movement detected by accelerometers mounted on a stable
platform (Stabilized gyroscopically).
- Accelerometers are like pendulums but more sophisticated,
using sliding shutters with frictionless bearings and now
solid state technology. Can detect velocity changes to
1,000ths of a G force.
- This is the basic principal of INS.
- Most critical element is platform stability.
- Gyros are of primary importance.
- Accelerometer technology fairly static; advances now are
mostly in gyro technology, especially Ring Laser Gyros.
Y

  

  


 
The basic operating principle of a laser is to use light or electrical
impulses to excite atoms of a crystal, gas, liquid, or other substance. The
atoms release light energy (photons) to return to their original state.
Atoms of the same type will release light energy of the same frequency.
Mirrors are used to contain the photons which further excite the atoms
into releasing even more photons; some of these photons escape through
a partially silvered mirror as coherent light. This light energy is emitted
as a directional beam.
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Stable platform has 2 functions:

ý To keep accelerometers aligned with the surface

of earth despite changes in aircraft attitude. This is
accomplished by mounting the platform on
gimbals.

ý To keep the stable platform aligned with surface of

earth to compensate for transport and earth rate
precession. These apparent errors are corrected
by torquing ± a feedback process that keeps the
stable platform level with the local vertical through
the application of real precession.

4 ÷ 4+ 
1 In a strapdown platform
installation the platform is not
gimbaled; instead ring laser
gyro feedback allows a
computer to electronically
monitor orientation of the
platform.
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-The ring laser gyros are much more accurate than
mechanical gyros. It makes sense to use them for
other onboard instruments as well.
-An Inertial Reference System (IRS); mechanical
gyros become backup units.
-The IRS is used for AI, HI, radar antenna
stabilization, and autopilot control.
-If the navigation portion of the INS goes down it is
still possible to utilize the IRS by selecting ATT
instead of NAV.
- Inertial Navigation Unit ± box containing
accelerometers & gyro-
gyro-stabilized platform
 /   c
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ý 2 Flavours:-
Flavours:- Older 2-2-window display & more modern
CRT display
ý Older displays easier to read but CRT units provide
much more information
 Multiple flight plans, >9 waypoints
ý Used in conjunction with mode select panel

ý Standby Battery ± Absolutely critical to avoid complete

loss of unit during power variations

ý These form the system package

 4
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Initialization:
ý Major process for computer
ý Leveling; internal block Temp adjustment (to ±15oC min); gyro
compassing (to True or Mag); latitude testing;
ý Total 10 to 45 minutes, depend on temp, gyro type & latitude (takes
longer @ higher latitudes to sense rotation & find True North which is
essential to the alignment process
ý Easy for pilot
ý Can use NAV or ALIGN mode
ý ALIGN does a more thorough job but process can be negated if don¶t
switch to NAV before moving acft
ý Also want to be careful NOT to leave NAV mode in flight because can¶t
initialize in flight
ý Military can air initialize but civilian units must be stationary, on ground,
in a known position
 4
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Enter initial co-
co-ordinates (From A/D Diagram)
- Only as accurate as the information input.
- Acft can then be moved & INS will begin sensing &
correlating all movements
Limitations
ý Some older systems unable to accommodate extreme
longitudinal convergence at >80o N or S latitude
ý Most systems do not align properly >70o N or S
latitude ± but work OK there once aligned farther
south. Problem is earth¶s rotation too slow to be
detected at those latitudes.
 4 5/

ý INS always knows where True North is and senses all

movement, so it always knows what acft hdg is and it is easy
to derive other information:
ý Track and Position ± as a series of fixes
ý Ground speed
ý Drift angle
ý Cross track error/Cross track distance (Degrees or Miles)
ý Distance to go/ Time to go
ý Errors & Recommended Actions
ý Normally has a separate air data system to provide fully
corrected TAS information used to determine W/V. Air data
system can also provide INS with altitude information for
systems with only 2 accelerometers.
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ý Since each new position is a function of the last position, INS is a
relative system. Any initial entry error remains as a constant but
subsequent errors are cumulative & increase over time
ý Total of errors is called ³Drift´ (acft ³drifts´ from true position)
measured in NM/hour
ý 2 NM/Hour is historical industry norm ± Ring laser gyros reduce to
about 0.2 NM/hour
ý Sounds like a lot for a super-
super-accurate (&super-
(&super-expensive) system but
system can be ³updated´ with land-land-based navaids ± max is about 4.5
hours out of range
ý SFO ± HNL, where req acft separation is 50NM/1,000 ft
ý Ring Laser Gyro equipped INS probably more accurate than VOR fix
± suitable for RMNPS (Required Minimum Navigation Performance
Airspace)
ý Drift can be corrected by updating
updatingþ reentering aircraft position over a
þreentering
known fix (navaid or visual checkpoint)
 5




ý Provide redundancy in case of failure

ý Can be used to check each other
ý Esp when inputting information. Best to use 2 pilots
for more cross-
cross-checking
ý 1 pilot put info into each system, then check results; or
ý 1 reads info, 1 enters, switch for 2nd system, then
compare; or
ý 1 enters for both systems (into 1st then electronically
xfer), then other checks against flt plan
ý in any case, must ALWAYS crosscheck to verify.
Disagreement between systems must be resolved by:
ý Other (Land-
(Land-based?) navaids ± GPS, VOR, DME, NDB, RADAR mapping
- Dead Reckoning adequate if error is very large
ý Better to predict system most likely to err by keeping complete
performance records on each system; more accurate system will become
apparent over time.
ý On military acft, the navigator usually keeps this gyro log
ý Usually also have supporting evidence (other navaids or warning
indications) so can avoid this decision
ý Averaging the errors is NOT usually a good choice unless there is
absolutely no way to identify the more accurate system
ý Errors usually appear quickly ± ie rapid increase in drift rate
ý Can switch out of NAV Mode if unit is acting up and still use attitude
functions
- Can¶t switch back, though ± need to initalize
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ý Ultimate & most expensive form

ý Provides double redundancy + second check on route entry &
initialization + supporting information when systems diverge
- Voting identifies weakest system by matching 2 closest
together & rejecting the 3rd
- 3rd could be most accurate one but odds are in
favour of the other 2
- Eliminates ³Rogue system´
ý Triple Mixing is flip side of voting ± uses middle Lat & Long co
co--
ordinates to produce a single, optimum position estimate
ý Typical drift of 1.7 NM/Hour is about cut in half to 1.0 NM/Hour
with modern gyros
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-Another way to provide redundancy is

by adding a complimentary system such
as GPS. This system can be used to
update the INS.
 +55

ý Can Expect INS to stick around for a while because it
knows so much & can derive so much more
ý Knows Lat + Long + True North & can be loaded with
magnetic variation info
ý Can tell Mag North
ý Provides gyro info + slaving info to flight instruments
ý Becomes an Inertial Reference System for all
instruments ± position, hdg, attitude, autopilot
references, etc
ý Can select INS or Attitude/Heading Reference System
(AHRS)
ý Can measure acceleration changes on approach to
detect wind shear
Advantages:
-completely self contained system which
operates independently of an outside
navigation signal.
-can be used as an inertial reference system for
other systems ADI and HSI.
Disadvantages:
-INS systems are technically involved and
expensive.
-only as accurate as the information input; a data
entry error eliminates all accuracy.