What are the two methods for basic attitude instrument flying? What is the difference?

• A. Primary and supporting (grouping different instruments based on task)
• B. Control and performance (attitude, power, altitude, climb rate)
• C. Control and performance; primary and supporting
• D. Attitude and heading alignment

Answer: (C)

The two methods for basic attitude instrument flying are control and performance, and primary and supporting. In the control and performance approach, you think in terms of how you move the airplane—adjust the controls (pitch, bank, and power) to achieve the desired flight performance, such as altitude, airspeed, and turn rate, and you manage the flight path and energy directly through those inputs. In the primary and supporting method, you organize your instrument use by role: designate certain instruments as primary sources for attitude information (usually the attitude indicator) and others as supporting sources to confirm or supplement what you’re seeing. The main difference is that one method centers on how you control the aircraft to achieve target performance, while the other centers on which instruments provide primary data versus backup data during scanning and cross-checking.