A critical aspect of navigating an aircraft is ensuring you are heading in the right direction, and pilots can maintain their flight path by consulting the heading indicator. While heading indicators are recognized for being vital and reliable, it is important to understand what they are showing you and how they work. To begin, the heading indicator is referred to as a primary flight instrument, belonging to a group of six basic cockpit instruments that every aircraft is equipped with. In a typical cockpit, it is located in the middle of the instrument panel, just below the artificial horizon.

The aircraft engine is a powerful apparatus, utilizing the compression and ignition of fuel-and-air mixtures to create the power needed to drive the systems necessary for flight and thrust generation. With constant ignition and various moving components, the engine will quickly face various issues such as intense heat levels, friction, contaminate build-up, and much more. If these issues are ignored, they could quickly lead to unsafe conditions as parts lose efficacy and eventually break down or fail. As such, a solution must be in place to deter the various negative byproducts of engine operation. For this, a majority of modern aircraft rely on what is known as the aircraft oil system.

For almost two decades, airlines have moved away from conducting in-house maintenance procedures and have begun opting for third-party providers to complete their services. As there are many independent service companies, a majority maintain relatively stable rates and ensure enough capacity to accommodate aviation’s needs. However, with maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) procedures undergoing major modifications, many airlines are ditching service providers and are carrying out such operations themselves.