SkyWest Initial Maneuvers Training (IMT) 1 Practice Test

When you have degraded avionics and standby instruments aren’t available, the priority is to keep the aircraft under control while following established procedures and keeping everyone in the loop. Maintaining control means staying on a stable flight path, keeping wings level, and managing pitch, power, and configuration using whatever reliable cues remain—adhere to the checklist or QRH for degraded avionics, set a safe minimum altitude and altitude/heading as directed by the procedure, and stabilize the flight phase you’re in. Following contingency procedures ensures you address the fault in a structured way, reducing surprise and workload during a challenging situation. Clear communication with ATC and the crew is essential so the team understands what you’re doing, what deviations from the plan are happening, and what help or vectors you need as the situation evolves. Continuing as planned ignores the degraded state and can lead to loss of situational awareness. Declaring an emergency and landing at the nearest suitable airport too aggressively may be appropriate in a real-time safety threat, but the general guidance is to first stabilize and follow procedures while coordinating with ATC. Powering down instruments and relying solely on visual cues is risky, especially if you’re operating in IMC or transitioning weather, since you may lose critical references.