Instruments

Pitot Static Systems

Chapter

Pressure Instruments
Pitot Static Probes and ADC.
Airspeed Indicator ( ASI ).
Mach Meter.
Pressure Altimeter.
Vertical Speed Indicator ( VSI ).

 Gyroscopic Instruments
Direction Gyro Indicator ( DGI ).
Artificial Horizon ( AH ).
Turn And Slip Indicator.

 Magnetism And Compasses

Magnetism General.
Direct Reading Magnetic Compass.
Sperry Compass System.

Miscellaneous Systems
Inertial Navigation System ( INS ).
Temperature Indicators.
Flight Data Recorders ( FDR ).
Angle Of Attack Indicators.
Flight Management System And Autopilots ( FMS ).
 Instrument Overview
It is important to understand which instruments are going to be discussed and where they obtain their
information from. We are going to look at the following instruments
 Pitot – Static Instruments.
Gyroscopic Instruments.
 Instrument Overview
It is important to understand which instruments are going to be discussed and where they obtain their
information from. We are going to look at Pitot – Static Instruments and Gyroscopic Instruments in this
syllabus.

Pitot – Static Instruments :

Airspeed Indicator ( ASI ) : supplied by Pitot and Static.

Altimeter : supplied by Static only.
Vertical Speed Indicator ( VSI ) : supplied by Static only.
Pitot Static Instruments
 Pitot Static Instruments

ASI VSI ALT

Pitot Heat

Static Port

Pitot Tube
 Instrument Overview
It is important to understand which instruments are going to be discussed and where they obtain their
information from. We are going to look at Pitot – Static Instruments and Gyroscopic Instruments in this
syllabus.

Pitot – Static Instruments :

Airspeed Indicator ( ASI ) : supplied by Pitot and Static.

Altimeter : supplied by Static only.
Vertical Speed Indicator ( VSI ) : supplied by Static only.

Gyroscopic Instruments :

Artificial Horizon ( AH ) : supplied by the Vacuum pump only.

Directional Gyro Indicator ( DGI ) : supplied by the Vacuum pump only.
Turn And Slip Indicator : supplied by the Electrical system for the Turn and Gravity for the Slip.
Gyroscopic Instruments
 Gyroscopic Instruments
AH

Engine Driven
Vacuum Pump

DGI

Air Filter

Electrical Supply

Turn And Slip

 Pitot Tube
 The basic Pitot probe is mounted where it will not be affected by the disturbed airflow caused by the structure
of the aircraft.

 These errors are not completely removed and are called pressure and position errors. These errors are
corrected during the flight testing.

 Manoeuvre Induced errors also exist at the Pitot probe and Static ports. These errors are caused when the
aircraft’s angle of attack changes and can last for several seconds.

 The Pitot probe measures the air pressure caused by the forward movement of the aircraft also referred to as
total pressure or ram air pressure.

 The faster the aircraft is moving the higher the air pressure in the Pitot tube, therefore the pressure inside the
Pitot tube is directly proportional to airspeed.

 The Pitot probe is also able to measure static pressure. Both Pitot and Static pressure are used to supply the
Airspeed Indicator or ASI. We can now use the formula :

Pitot Pressure = Dynamic Air Pressure + Static Air Pressure

 The Pitot probe is electrically heated to prevent ice accumulation and has drain holes at the bottom of the tube
to prevent water accumulation.
 Pitot Tube

Pitot
Pressure
Direction Of Air Flow

Static
Pressure
Static Static
Vent Vent

Pitot Pressure = Dynamic Air Pressure + Static Air Pressure

Pitot Tube
 Static Port

 Static pressure is the ambient air pressure at a given point in the atmosphere.

 A Static port or vent is used to measure the ambient pressure acting on the aircraft.

 A Static vent consists of a smooth plate that is flush mounted on either side of the aircraft fuselage.

 Two vents are used to equalise any pressures caused by the yaw of the aircraft.

 An emergency static vent is normally incorporated in the system and is located inside the flight deck in a non-
pressurised aircraft.

 It must be noted that when using this emergency static vent the pressure sensed in the flight deck is normally
lower than ambient static pressure by approximately 10 Mb.
Static Vent
 Air Data Computer ( ADC )

 Central Air Data Computers ( CADC ) or Air Data Computers ( ADC ) are used in jet aircraft.

 One ( CADC ) for the captain’s flight instruments and the second computer for the first officer’s flight
instruments.

 These computers convert mechanical energy from the Pitot and Static vents to an electrical equivalent by
means of transducers and supply the information to the Airspeed Indicator, Mach Meter, Vertical Speed
Indicator and the Altimeter.

 The advantage of the ADC is that there are no mechanical linkages, thus reducing errors to a minimum.

What is important in the next diagram is to note the inputs to and outputs from the ADC.
 Air Data Computer ( ADC )
Static Defect
Correction
Static
Altitude
Pressure
Static Vertical Speed
Transducer
Pressure

Density Density

28 Volts DC
Altitude Altitude Hold
Memory
Mach Mach Number
Number
Dynamic
Pressure Indicated Airspeed
Dynamic
Transducer
Pressure
True Airspeed
True Airspeed

Total Air Temp TAT Probe Static Air

Temperature Static Air Temperature

Angle Of Attack Probe Angle Of Attack

Correction Angle Of Attack Corrected