It started as a simple compass, giving the heading of the aircraft in relative to the magnetic north. Then with the availability of radio navigation, the radio nav is built into the compass giving the navigation reference such as VOR and ADF.
This short video shows the pilots perspective of the HSI.
Some Points to Note:
1. The pilot quoted the HSI to be the combination of gyro and compass. Some instruments contains the physical gyro within the instruments itself. The gyro provide the short term stability especially during turn and bank. The remote compass signal keeps the direction updated.
2. The radio nav provides the aircraft position reference in relation of a given stations or signal radial. A VOR station will provide the onmi-directional radials picked up by the aircraft radios. The VOR station gives 360 radial corresponding to 360 degrees from the station.
3. Modern aircraft may be fitted with GPS, the Global Position System, where the actual position of the aircraft and its height is known. A simple computer can calculate the speed and the acceleration of the aircraft based on the change of the position.
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