| The
pitot boom mast is where outside air enters for the pitot/static instruments
to use. Pitot and static instruments are flow measuring devices that
measure velocity. They are usually located on a section of the aircraft
where the air flow has not yet been affected by the body of the plane.
Pitot tubes are open, L-shaped tubes that have one end open to the
drive wind and the other connected to a pressure measuring device.
Perpendicular to the main tube, is the static tube. This tube measures
static pressure. This is the pressure that is exerted radially in
all directions, like inside a balloon. The pitot tube measures the
total pressure in the tube. This pressure is comprised of the velocity
pressure (pressure due to the momentum of the drive wind) and the
static pressure. On the left hand side of the pitot boom mast is another
probe that is used to measure our Alpha (Angle of Attack) and Beta
(Sideslip or Yaw) while flying. |