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:
- Static Air Temperature (SAT), also known as Outside Air Temperature (OAT), represents the true, undisturbed temperature of the ambient air.
- Total Air Temperature (TAT), often interchangeable with Ram Air Temperature (RAT), includes a "ram rise" – an increase in temperature caused by air compression and friction at high aircraft speeds, making it higher than SAT/OAT.
- TAT/RAT is critical for aviation operational decisions, such as determining when to use anti-ice, assessing the risk of fuel freezing, and influencing engine performance settings, as it reflects the temperature the aircraft's systems and skin experience.
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