Airspeed Measurement p1

Overview
!! We are simply attempting to understand how an
airspeed indicator determines INDICATED airspeed

!! Need an understanding of Bernoullis principles of

pressure

!! We will look at the different types of airspeed and

the equations related to it.

Indicated is what you see. Note for cross country planning you calculate other types of airspeed first.

Measuring airspeed
!! In the air, given indicated airspeed IAS, how then do
we determine CAS, EAS, and TAS?

!! On the ground, given true air speed TAS, how then

do we determine EAS, CAS, and IAS?

Ice-T mnemonic

How airspeed indicator determines INDICATED Airspeed

!! IAS knots on airspeed indicator !! 1. Measure total pressure H. !! 2. Measure static pressure Ps. !! 3. Calculate dynamic pressure q from Bernoullis
equation q = H - Ps.

!! 4. Calculate KIAS from dynamic pressure,

!! V KIAS = !(295)q = 17.18 !q

!! *Note that the airspeed indicator does not measure

dynamic pressure!

1. Measure total pressure: Airflow on a Symmetrical Object

Free stream total pressure H = Ps + q. At the stagnation point, all kinetic energy or dynamic pressure q is converted to Ps. v=0

Definitions
!! Pressure at the forward stagnation point:
= H or head pressure = stagnation pressure = total pressure = ram pressure = Pitot pressure

!! The pressure at the stagnation point (total !! pressure) will be greater than the ambient static pressure by !! the amount of the dynamic pressure of the air stream

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2. Measuring Static Pressure (p or Ps)

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Calculating q=H-p

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3. Calculate dynamic pressure q from Bernoulli

!! H = Ps + q !! q = H - Ps Airspeed indicators "subtract" Ps from H
to determine q.

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4. Calculate KIAS from dynamic pressure

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Converting H to KIAS

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Now looking at CALIBRATED correction

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Remember the ICE-T mnemonic

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"Vi + "Vm
CAS is IAS corrected for installation (position) and instrument (mechanical) errors. CAS=IAS+Vi +Vm Possible errors in our IAS methodology:

!! Installation or position or error Vi. The

installation or position of the pitot tube and/or static port may induce errors.

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Fuselage factor

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!! Installation or position or error correction is

provided by manufacturer in the POH. and configuration.

!! Ps measured (and Vi) changes with aircraft speed

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Mechanical Error:
!! Mechanical errors in the instrument. Airspeed
indicators must be checked and calibrated every 24 months. Usually considered to be zero.

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