In instrument flight, what is the 'Scan'?

• A. The continuous cross-check of attitude indicators and other instruments
• B. A procedure for scanning for weather radar returns
• C. The first fundamental skill of instrument flight, the continuous observation of instruments for attitude and performance
• D. A method for scanning the horizon for weather

Answer: (C)

In instrument flight, you fly by reference to the aircraft’s instruments, staying aware of what the airplane is doing at every moment. The scan is the continuous, orderly cross-check of the primary flight instruments to monitor attitude and performance. You constantly compare the attitude indicator with other instruments—the airspeed, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, and turn/heading indicators—to verify that the airplane’s pitch, bank, speed, and vertical/heading trends match your intended flight path. This ongoing observation is the foundational skill because it lets you detect deviations early and correct them before they become unsafe, even when outside references are unreliable. It’s not about looking for weather on radar or scanning the horizon for weather; those are separate tasks tied to weather awareness rather than maintaining controlled flight through instrument data.