The Principles of Inertial Navigation

In order to sense angular acceleration it uses Rate integrating Gyros,

either mechanical or, in more modern equipment, ring laser gyro.
In order to sense linear acceleration the inertial systems uses mechanical inertial
accelerometers.
Accelerometers and Rate Intergrating Gyros are discussed in full in earlier lessons.
This is a brief revision.
The inertial accelerometer detects linear acceleration
aser inertial systems use rindlaser gyros as rate sensing gyros. Ring laser gyros
use t!o laser beams directed around a system of three mirrors, one of !hich is
semi"transparent.
The acceleration Axes
The north/south axis is called the Xaxis
The east/west axis is called the Y axis
The vertical axis the Z axis
The stable platform IN# cannot calculate true airspeed and variation
The INS can calculate its position, aircraft true heading, true track and ground
speed.
In order to calculate the wind affecting the aircraft it needs and input of TAS and to
calculate magnetic heading it needs an input of variation.
The correct sequence for establishing position in at and ong is$
N/S distance, Latitude, /! distance, secant gear, Longitude
The sequence for initial leveling is to motor the platform until$
There is no output from the accelerometers
The sequence for aligning the platform to true north after initial levelling is to motor
the platform in a%imuth until there is no output from & gyro.
To complete the chec' on N alignment in the start"up sequence the pilot must enter
latitude
An accelerometer !hich uses an & and I bar senses acceleration in only one plane.
The #trapdo!n IN# and IR#
A strapdown IRU requires:
Three Ring aser Gyros (rate sensing)
Three accelerometers
A #trapdo!n IR* measures the accelerations in a trihedron !hich is fi+ed
regarding to the aircraft trihedron
A #trapdo!n IR* has faster alignment and is more accurate in time than a stable
platform system
Alignment times vary !ith lat, they are quoted as , minutes at the equator, -. mins
at /.0N and as much as -/ minutes at lat bet!een /.0 and /10
The IR# !ill re2ect incorrect latitude
Alignment normally ta'es , to -. minutes
Position is only entered !hen stationary on the ground
If po!er is lost, alignment is lost and the NA3 function !ill !or' again.
The main advantage of a !ander angle IN# is there is no need to turn the
platform in a%imuth at very high rates !hen passing near the poles
"ecause a #wander angle# platform does not have to maintain a specific alignment
relative to the arth $ut a #North aligned# platform must maintain its alignment to
True North at all times, the #wander angle# s%stem is $etter at high latitude where
the direction of True North changes rapidl%
The strap"do!n IN# uses 4 accelerometers that measures accelerations on the
aircraft lateral longitudinal and vertical a+es.
The strap"do!n IN# maintains a mathematical model of the position of the 5, 6
and 7 a%es relative to the aircraft a+es.