What happens if the attitude indicator's gimbal is caged and the aircraft is then maneuvered aggressively?

• A. The attitude indicator will improve accuracy.
• B. The heading indicator will drift.
• C. There is no effect.
• D. The attitude indicator may tumble or show erroneous attitude until the gimbal is uncaged or reset.

Answer: (D)

When the attitude indicator’s gimbal is caged, the gyro inside is locked in place to prevent movement during maintenance or reset. If you maneuver aggressively with the gimbal locked, the aircraft’s rapid angular motions drive the gyro beyond the limited travel the cage allows. The result can be a tumble of the gimbal or a misalignment of the gyro, causing the displayed pitch and bank to become incorrect or erratic. Until the gimbal is uncaged and the instrument is reset, those erroneous indications can persist, which is why this situation can momentarily show a false attitude. The heading indicator isn’t directly affected by this caging, and the instrument won’t suddenly improve accuracy or remain perfectly accurate with no effect.