Pitot-Static Systems

No matter how much automation we fly behind, no matter how many air-data computers are installed and no matter how simple it is, it’s likely a pitot-static system—pretty much like the one Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic—is what generates airspeed and some other basic flight information aboard the aircraft we fly. These systems are relatively simple, consisting of basic sensors, some plumbing and sensitive instrumentation. The difference in air pressure does all the work.

Key Takeaways:

• Pitot-static systems are fundamental for generating basic flight data (airspeed, altitude, vertical speed) and remain crucial despite aircraft automation.
• Blockages, typically from ice in the pitot tube or insects/moisture in the static port, lead to distinct and dangerous instrument malfunctions affecting airspeed, altimeter, and vertical speed indicators.
• Pilots must understand these system failures and know how to respond, utilizing pitot heat, alternate static sources, or emergency measures like breaking instrument glass, to mitigate critical flight information loss.

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