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Refer to figure.
The image shows the vacuum pressure gauge, while you are climbing out after take-off with the engine running at full power. The vacuum pressure is...

  • A

    a little low. Instrumentation relying on vacuum is unlikely to be affected.

  • B

    a little low. Instrumentation relying on vacuum may be affected.

  • C

    critically low. Instrumentation relying on vacuum will be affected.

  • D

    normal for climbout at full power because less power is available to the vacuum pump.

Refer to figure.
This is a great practical question about interpreting your instruments in flight, especially ones that don't get as much attention, such as the vacuum suction gauge.

The figure shows the vacuum system for a typical light training aircraft. Ambient air at atmospheric pressure enters through an air filter from outside, and the engine drives a vacuum pump to create low pressure. This pulls air through the system, driving air driven gyroscopic instruments such as the Attitude Indicator, Direction/Heading Indicator, Turn Co-ordinator and of-course the suction gauge.

When the engine operates at high power settings, the suction should be within the green lines indicating a normal suction pressure.
On the ground when at or near idle, sometimes the suction can be at the lower end or even slightly below the green level.


If, during the climb with the engine at full power, you see the suction gauge as shown in this question - it means there is a failure of the vacuum system. The suction is critically low and vacuum pressure gyroscopic instruments will be affected and may start to produce incorrect readings. The AI may show incorrect pitch and roll, and the Heading Indicator will diverge significantly from the correct heading. This is because the gyroscopes used in these instruments are not spinning fast enough, if at all.

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