Editing Attitude indicator (section)

{{Short description|Flight instrument which displays the aircraft's orientation relative to Earth's horizon}}{{Not to be confused with|altimeter}}{{Redirect|Artificial Horizon|the U2 album|Artificial Horizon (album)}}
{{multiple image
|image1 = Attitude Indicator.png
|image2 = AI aircraft orientation.png
|footer = AI with [[aircraft principal axes|pitch and roll]] reference lines (left) and the AI relationship to aircraft orientation (right)
|total_width = 440
}}

The '''attitude indicator''' ('''AI'''), also known as the '''gyro horizon''' or '''artificial horizon''', is a [[flight instrument]] that informs the [[pilot]] of the aircraft [[Orientation (geometry)|orientation]] relative to Earth's [[horizon]], and gives an immediate indication of the smallest orientation change. The miniature aircraft and horizon bar mimic the relationship of the aircraft relative to the actual horizon.<ref name="FAA2">{{cite book |title=Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-15B |date=2012 |publisher=U.S. Dept. of Transportation, FAA |page=5-17,5-19 |url=https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/media/FAA-H-8083-15B.pdf}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name="FAA1">{{cite book |title=Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAA-H-8083-25B |date=2016 |publisher=U.S. Dept. of Transportation, FAA |page=8-16,8-18,8-19 |url=https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/media/10_phak_ch8.pdf}}</ref> It is a primary instrument for flight in [[instrument meteorological conditions]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=Guided Flight Discovery Private PilotJe|last=Jeppesen, A Boeing Company|publisher=Jeppesen|year=2007|isbn=978-0-88487-429-4|pages=2–66}}</ref><ref>https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/ AMT Handbook - Aircraft Instrument Systems page 10-56</ref>

Attitude is always presented to users in the unit [[Degree (angle)|degrees]] (°). However, inner workings such as sensors, data and calculations may use a mix of degrees and [[radian]]s, as scientists and engineers may prefer to work with radians.