Aircraft with INS/IRS/APU. Which has what?

[martinlest2 58]

My Googling skills are, apparently, pretty lousy! I never seem to find stuff that others can (as I discover when I give up and ask the question here instead). Just Googled 'INS IRS APU which aircraft' and similar. Can't see the answers I am looking for, so here we go again. Maybe someone can help....I simply wanted to know if there is a list somewhere of which a/c are equipped with an IRS system these days, which have INS - and (different of course) which have an APU. Not so easy as it might appear, as I know (for example) the B707 PAX version had no APU, whereas the cargo version did.Can anyone help please, at least for Boeings & Airbuses if no others. Thanks!Martin

[Guest jahman]

I would guess all large aircraft today have INS/IRS/APU and GPS (even if it's only an iPhone in the captain's pocket).Cheers,- jahman.

[martinlest2 58]

But which have INS and which have IRS - and for flying older a/c in FS, which would have an APU and which not? This is more for FS than real world, as some of the planes I fly are almost museum pieces now (b707s etc.)M.

[vololiberista 205]

Most commercial aircraft have "Inertial Navigation". Some also use GPS as an update (triangulation) fix and also for navigation on the ground. Nowadays Inertial navigation has come a long way and has many different configurations and therefore designations. "INS" usually refers to the earlier installations for a/c such as the VC10, L1011, Concorde etc.If you download one or two of the "classic" a/c they often come with the Delco Carousel INS gauge. Surprisingly the manuel for this gauge is more comprehensive than the original! When you think that the installation of the Delco Carousel INS cost as much as an entire GA aircraft!!vololiberista

[Guest jahman]

But which have INS and which have IRS

INS = IRSCheers,- jahman.

[Glynn 405]

INS = IRSCheers,- jahman.

HelloWell, not exactly but close.

[Bob Scott 7,314]

INS = IRSCheers,- jahman.

Actually not. Some acft are equipped with AHRS (attitude-heading reference system), which is an inertial system that does not provide lateral position data. An AHRS is one example of an IRS that is not an INS.

[Guest jahman]

HelloWell, not exactly but close.

Yes, for the purpose of the OP. :-)Cheers,- jahman.

[martinlest2 58]

Actually INS=IRS is an incorrect equation :-) ... The latter was only installed into later aircraft, older planes like the B747-300 had an INS system, whereas the later 747-400 has an IRS system. They are similar, but not the same thing. The INS has moving gyros for one thing - the IRS is 100% solid state...Martin

[vololiberista 205]

Whilst it is true that INS had physical gyros, the types fitted to the VC10 and Concorde had laser gyros. The laser gyros were quite substantive compared to modern systems which as you say are quite small in size.vololiberista