Pitot Head

Static Ports
Pitot-Static System
A system in which total pressure created by the
forward motion of the aircraft and static pressure
of the atmosphere surrounding it are sensed and
measured in terms of:
Speed
Altitude
Rate of change of altitude
Basic Pitot-Static consists of:
Pressure Head
Known as pitot-static probe, consist of static slots,
pitot tube, drain hole and heating element.
If only pitot pressure is collected through the tube, it
is called Pitot Tube or Pitot Head.
It should be covered if the aircraft is park to avoid
foreign object entering the tube.
Warning flag, red in colour, with word REMOVED
BEFORE FLIGHT to be attached to the pitot cover.
Pressure Head
Static Vent
Also known as static port, it is located at the aircraft
fuselage and are position where there are least
disturbance from the air flow.
Independent static vents, when fitted are always
located one on each side of a fuselage and
interconnected so as to balance out dynamic
pressure effects resulting from any yawing or
sideslip motion of an aircraft.
The static vent mounting plate should not painted
and must be cleaned and smooth.
If aircraft is park the static vent should be blanked
and the warning flag REMOVED BEFORE
FLIGHT should be attached.
Static Port
Drain Trap
Pipeline
Pitot and static pressures are transmitted through
seamless corrosion-resistant metal (light alloy/or
tungum) pipeline.
Flexible pipes (maricon tubing) are used for
connection of components mounted on anti-
vibration mountings.
The minimum requirement diameter of the pipeline
is 0.25 inch or 6mm.
The piping are marked by a letter P or S.
Drain Trap/Drain Valve
Allow draining of water accumulated in the piping
using spring loaded action.
Drain traps are located at the lowest point of the
piping run/route.
Pitot-Static Instruments
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Requires pitot and static pressure.
ASI measure the differential pressure between pitot/static.
Altimeter
Requires static pressure only
Altimeter measures absolute pressure.
If a leak occurs on a pressurised aircraft under read,
unpressurised aircraft - ????
Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI)
Requires static pressure only
VSI measures rate of change of altitude pressure.
Machmeter
Requires pitot and static pressure.
Pitot-Static System on Modern Aircraft
Altimeter
PURPOSE
To indicate vertical distance
from MSL (Mean Sea Level)
or AGL (Above Ground
Level) from minus 1,000 feet
to 50,000 feet.
To indicate pressure altitude
when Baroscale is set to
QNE (ICAO standard
atmospheric pressure at
Mean Sea Level)
Altimeter
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
An altimeter measures air pressure, which decreases
with increasing altitude, and from the pressure
calculates and displays the corresponding altitude.
It follows the aneroid barometric principle to
measure absolute pressure (total pressure).
Construction
A detecting element to collect static pressure.
A measuring element which is the aneroid capsule.
Mechanical coupling.
An indicating element which is a pointer rotating over
a scale.
Altimeter
Altimeter
Types of Altimeter
Non-sensitive Altimeter
single pointer/one capsule.
Sensitive Altimeter
multiple pointers/stack aneroid capsules.
Cabin Altimeter
to measure cabin pressure.
Encoding Altimeter
for ATC purposes.
Servo Altimeter
to overcome lag error/more accurate.
Radio/Radar Altimeter
measure vertical distance Above Ground Level (AGL)
used in GPWS and autopilot.
Non-Sensitive Altimeter
Sensitive Altimeter
Cabin Altimeter
Encoding Altimeter
Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System
Mode S Operation
Encoder Altimeter
Encoder Altimeter
Servo Altimeter
Radio/Radar Altimeter
Radar Altimeter Transmitter/Receiver
Uses antenna installed
on aircraft belly.
Transmitter sends out
radio waves at 4.3GHz
which strike the earth
and bounce back to the
receiver antenna.
The system measures
time taken for the wave
to return back and
calculation is made of
AGL altitude.
Above 100,000ft
Press 0 psi
37,000 ft
Press 6.39 in Hg
Temp 56.5C
30,000 ft
Press 8.88 in Hg
Temp 44.4C
10,000 ft
Press 20.57 in Hg
Tem p - 4.8C
5,000 ft
Press 24.89 in Hg
Temp 5C
Sea Level (0 ft)
Press 29.92 in Hg
Press 1013.2 Mb
Press 14.7 psi
Temp 15C
Minus 1,000 ft
Press 31.01 in Hg
Temp 16.98C
ALTITUDE
The vertical distance of an aircraft measured from mean sea level (MSL).
PRESSURE ALTITUDE
When altimeter is set to Standard Mean Sea Level (ICAO) on the barometric
window.
When an aircraft altimeter is set at this pressure setting, it is flying at Flight
Level.
INDICATED ALTITUDE
Direct reading of altitude from altimeter when barometric window setting is
not set to standard MSL (ICAO).
ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE
It is measured by radio, radar, or laser altimeter.
It measured altitude above ground level (AGL).
DENSITY ALTITUDE
It is the pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature.
HEIGHT
Vertical distance of an aircraft from a reference plane (datum).
DATUM
A reference line, from which calculations or measurements are taken.
Types of Altitude Measurement
Q-Code
The Q code is a telecommunication code. The codes in the
range QAA QZZ (QAA-QNZ are for aeronautical use).
QFE
Setting aerodrome atmospheric pressure so that an altimeter
reads zero on landing and take-off.
QNH
Setting Mean Sea Level atmospheric pressure so that an
altimeter reads the aerodrome altitude above Mean Sea Level.
QNE
Setting standard Mean Sea Level atmospheric pressure IAW
the ICAO standard atmosphere, i.e. 1013.25 mb or 29.92 in Hg
and altimeter will reads pressure altitude.
Error in Altimeter
Instrument error
due to mechanical imperfection during manufacturing.
Position error
due to incorrect location of pressure source.
Blockage error
pitot static piping error.
Lag error
instrument reading responds slower than the actual
altitude of the aircraft.
Stiction error
pointer sticking to the dial due to electrostatic effect.
(Friction that tends to prevent relative motion between two movable parts at their null position.)
Error in Altimeter
During calibration check in the shop these test are to be complied for
IFR flying and any error to be recorded in the altimeter correction card at
thousand-foot interval.
Scale error
altimeter must follow reading from master indicator or manometer.
Hysteresis
reading must agree when altitude is in increasing or decreasing.
After effect
indication must return to original reading after performing test.
Friction
reading taken before and after being vibrate.
Case leak
test at 18,000 feet should not leak within tolerance.
Barometric scale error
indication from barometric scale and altimeter reading must tally with
ICAO pressure table.
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Purpose:
to indicate the speed of the aircraft relative to the airflow.
to indicate the aerodynamic force acting on the aircraft surface.
Principle of operation
uses a differential capsule to measure different in pitot and static
pressure.
Construction
two detector units which senses pitot and static pressure.
a differential capsule as a measuring unit.
a mechanical coupling.
an indicating element which is a pointer rotating over a scale graduated
in knots.
1 knot =1.1 miles.
A mechanical airspeed indicator has one differential capsule.
A sensitive airspeed indicator has more than one differential capsule.
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Air Speed Indicator
PITOT PRESSURE = DYNAMIC PRESSURE + STATIC PRESSURE
Dynamic pressure is representative of airspeed, so:
DYNAMIC PRESSURE = PITOT PRESSURE - STATIC PRESSURE
Square Law Compensator
A device that will compensates the non-linear
deflection of the capsule when magnify to the
pointer become linear.
It will represent linear scale on the ASI.
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Airspeed Indicator (ASI)
Errors of ASI
Instrument error
due to imperfection of the instrument mechanism during
manufacturing.
Position Error
incorrect position of pressure sources.
measured by trial and error and wind tunnel.
Compressibility Error
results from air being compressed in the pitot tube inlet,
generally at altitudes above 10,000 feet and CAS in excess
of 200 knots.
It generally produces IAS readings that are too high.
Density Error
due to decrease in the density of air as altitude increases.
Reading of ASI
ASIR (Airspeed Indicator Reading)
reading not corrected for any error.
IAS (Indicated Airspeed)
ASI corrected for Instrument error only.
RAS (Rectified Airspeed)
IAS corrected for instrument and pressure errors.
CAS (Calibrated Airspeed)
RAS compensated for non-linear (Square law)
EAS (Equivalent Airspeed)
RAS corrected for compressibility error.
TAS (True Airspeed)
EAS corrected for temperature and density error.
Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI)
It is also called Rate Of Climb (ROC) Indicator.
Purpose:
To indicate to the pilot the vertical speed of the aircraft or
rate of climb or dive of an aircraft in feet per minute.
Principle of operation
It measures the rate at which the static pressure changes.
Construction
A metering unit to established second pressure.
A differential capsule sense pressure changes.
An indicating element using pointer which rotates over a
scale graduated in feet per minute.
Vertical Speed Indicator
Vertical Speed Indicator
At level flight
Prevailing static pressure is admitted to the
interior of the capsule, and also to the
instrument case through the metering unit.
There is zero differential across the
capsule and pointer indicates zero.
When aircraft descending
Metering unit maintains case pressure
lower than capsule pressure, changing it at
the same rate and thereby creating a
constant differential pressure across the
capsule.
When aircraft climb
Metering unit creates a constant differential
pressure across capsule by maintaining
case pressure higher than capsule
pressure.
Instantaneous Vertical Speed Indicator (IVSI)
It is also called Inertia Operated VSI.
It is designed to overcome lag error in the
normal VSI using accelerometer or dash pot.
The inertia of the accelerometer piston will
move upward (if descent) and downward (if
ascent) so as to quicken the expansion and
contraction of the differential capsule by
pumping air into it.
Instantaneous Vertical Speed Indicator (IVSI)
Instantaneous Vertical Speed Indicator
Pitot-Static leak Test
To determine the rate of leak of a pitot-static system.
Rate of leak is measured in feet per min or knot per
minute.
Different aircraft has different leak rate always refer
to aircraft MM.
Leak test on pitot-static system is carried out when;
The pitot static piping and instrument are disturbed
(remove/install).
Suspect of a leak in the pitot static system/instrument.
It is called for in the task card when aircraft comes in for a
maintenance visit. (Every 24 month)
When the drain holes of the pressure head is disturbed.
Procedures
Pitot Leak Test
Connect up Pitotstatic Tester to the pitot head
using adaptor.
Pump in positive pressure slowly to make
airspeed indicator pointer reads V ne red
radial line.
Caution: about PSI is required to make ASI read
150 knots.
Retain pressure for 1 minute.
If ASI reading drop more than 10 knots means
there is a leak in the pitot pipelines.
Trace leak from the indicator to source.
Pitot-Static Leak Tester
Procedures
Static Leak Test
Connect up Pitotstatic Tester to the static port
using adaptor.
Pump in negative pressure slowly to make
altimeter reads more than 1,000 feet above
current reading.
Caution: When applying suction to the system do not
exceed the vertical speed indicator maximum limit.
Retain pressure for 1 minute.
If altimeter reading drop more than 100 feet
means there is a leak in the static pipelines.
Trace leak from the indicator to source using
soap water.
Caution when working on Pitot Static System
The amount of pressure required for 150 MPH
indication is less than PSI .
Avoid high pressure as instruments damage will result.
Do not apply suction to pitot pressure lines.
When applying or releasing suction, take care not to
exceed rate range of vertical speed indicator.
Do not apply pressure to static lines with instruments
connected.
Never blow through the pitot or static lines toward the
instruments.
Doing so may damage them.