FUNDAMENTALS OF

AERODYNAMICS
(AENG 321-7B)
Part 8
 Airspeed Measurement
Low-Speed Airspeed Indicator (Incompressible
Flow)
P(Static Pressure)
1

Pvρ Pt vtρt
2

Where: Pitot Lead

Pvρ = Parameters of airflow initially.
Pt vtρt = Parameters of air at the stagnation
point.

Pressure Gauge
(Airspeed Indicator)

Pitot Static Tube

Airspeed Measurement
Pitot Static Tube
- An instrument consisting of two tubes, having their points
of origin in the open unobstructed airstream. One of the
tube ends is closed but slotted on the side in such a
manner so that static air pressure is maintain in the tube
having an end open to an airstream so that it receives the
full impact of the airstream.
Static Pressure (P)
- The force per unit area exerted by a fluid on a surface at
rest relative to the end.
Airspeed Measurement
Stagnation Pressure or Total Pressure (PT)
- Pressure at stagnation point wherein the velocity of the
medium is equal to zero.
Applying the Incompressible Bernoulli Equation;
𝑣2 P 𝑣𝑇2 P𝑇 1
+ = + P 𝑃 = ρ𝑣2 . . . .Eqn.1
𝑇 −
2 ρ 2 ρ 2
𝑣2 P P𝑇 P𝑇 −
𝑃 = 𝑞
+ =
2 ρ ρ 𝑷𝑻 = 𝐏 + 𝒒 . . . . . . Eqn. 2
𝑣2 P𝑇 −𝑃
=
2 ρ Where:
1
q = ρ𝑣2 = Dynamic Pressure
2
Airspeed Measurement
Equivalent Airspeed
- Calibrated airspeed corrected for error caused by the
compressibility of the air inside the pitot tube. Calibrated
Airspeed indicator corrected for errors caused by the
instrument installation.
From Eqn. 1
1
P𝑇 − 𝑃 = ρ𝑣2 2(P𝑇 𝑃)
2 𝑣𝑒 = − . . . . . Eqn. 4
2 2(P𝑇 𝑃)
𝑣 = −
ρ0
ρ
2(P𝑇 𝑃)
𝑣= − . . . . . Eqn. 3
ρ
Airspeed Measurement
True Airspeed
- The airspeed shown on the airspeed indicator after it has
been corrected for non-standard temperature and
pressure.
1
From Eqn. 3 𝑣 = 𝑣𝑒 *
σ
2(P𝑇 𝑃) ρ0
𝑣= *
𝑣𝑒
−
ρ ρ0
𝑣= . . . . . . . Eqn. 5
𝑣=
2(P𝑇 𝑃)
−
ρ *
ρ0 σ
ρ0∗ρ ρ0
0

Where:
2(P𝑇 𝑃) 1 ρ
𝑣= − * ρ σ=
ρ0 ρ0
ρ0
Example #1
An airplane at SSLC is flying at 40 m/s. What is the difference
between total and static pressure?

Given: Soln:
𝑣𝑒= 40 m/s 𝑣 = 2(P𝑇 −𝑃)
𝑒 ρ0
SSLC
Required: 2 = 2(P𝑇 −𝑃)
𝑣𝑒
P𝑇 − 𝑃 ρ0
1
P𝑇 − 𝑃 = ρ0𝑣𝑒2
2
1
P𝑇 − 𝑃 = (1.225 kg/m3)(40m/s)2
2

𝐏𝐓 −
𝐏 = 𝟗𝟖𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝑷𝒂
Example #2
A low airspeed indicator reads 200 mph. When the airplane is flying at altitude at
which the altimeter reads 6,000 ft., while the ambient temperature is found to be
30°F. Calculate the true airspeed.
Given:
𝑣𝑒= 200 mph
ℎ𝑝= 6,000 ft.
288°𝐾
T = 30°F + 460 = 490°R * = 271.91°K
519°𝑅
Required: For P;
𝑣 P ah𝑃 5.26
= (1 + )
Soln: P0 T0
𝑣
𝑣= 𝑒 ah𝑃 5.26
σ P = P0(1 + )
For σ; T0
(−0.003566)(6000) 5.26
ρ ah P = 2116.8[1 + ]
σ = = (1 + 𝐷)4.26 519
ρ0 T0 101325Pa
P = 1,696.32 lb/ft2 * = 𝟖𝟏, 𝟏𝟗𝟖. 𝟎𝟐 𝐏a
For ρ; 2116.8lb/ft2
From perfect gas law Therefore;
81,198.02 Pa
ρ= N∗m = 1.040 kg/m3
P =ρRT (2 8 7 .08
Kg∗°𝐾
)(2 7 1 .91°𝐾)
P
ρ=
RT
Example #2 (cont. . . .)

ρ 1.040 kg/m3
σ= =
ρ0 1.225 kg/m3
𝝈 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟒𝟗
200 𝑚𝑝ℎ
𝑣=
0.849
𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 5280 𝑓𝑡. 1.0 𝑚 1.0 ℎ𝑟.
𝒗 = 𝟐𝟏𝟕. 𝟎𝟔 * 1 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒
* 3.28 𝑓𝑡. * 3600 𝑠𝑒𝑐.
𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓

𝑣 = 𝟗𝟕. 𝟎𝟓 𝒎/𝒔