1. SAT — Static air temperature (sometimes called true air temperature) is the temperature of undisturbed air; that is, the temperature you would read if you could suspend a thermometer out in the air without having the effects (temperature rise) of an airplane moving through the air nearby. In jets, SAT (aka OAT) is determined by applying the appropriate correction factor to the total air temperature (TAT), or ram air temperature (RAT), probe data. Most large jet aircraft have this function incorporated into the air-data computer. SAT is the actual air temperature, also referred to as true outside temperature or ambient temperature.
Air Temperature Explained
Key Takeaways:
- SAT (Static Air Temperature) or OAT (Outside Air Temperature) is the true temperature of undisturbed air.
- RAT (Ram Air Temperature) or TAT (Total Air Temperature) is the SAT plus "ram rise," a temperature increase caused by air compression during high-speed flight, which can be 15-30 degrees C higher than SAT at jet speeds.
- TAT/RAT is the critical temperature for operational decisions like activating anti-ice systems, preventing fuel freezing, and understanding the temperature the aircraft's structure actually experiences.
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