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Airspeed Measurements
ICeT
E

Airspeed Fun (part 1)

In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot

Brian Shul writes: "I'll always remember a certain
radio exchange that occurred one day as Walt (my
back-seater) and I were screaming across
Southern California 13 miles high. We were
monitoring various radio transmissions from other
aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace.
Though they didn't really control us, they did
monitor our movement across their scope.

Airspeed Fun (part 2)

I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its ground speed. "90 knots"
Center replied.

1
 Airspeed Fun (part 3)
"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same." "120 knots," Center answered.

Airspeed Fun (part 4)

We weren't the only ones proud of our ground speed that day as
almost instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, "Center, Dusty 52
requests ground speed readout." There was a slight pause, then the
response, "525 knots on the ground, Dusty." Another silent pause.

Airspeed Fun (part 5)

As I was thinking to myself how ripe a situation this was, I heard a
familiar click of a radio transmission coming from my back-seater. It
was at that precise moment I realized Walt and I had become a real
crew, for we were both thinking in unison." "Center, Aspen 20, you
got a ground speed readout for us?"

There was a longer than normal pause “Aspen, I show 1,742

knots" No further inquiries were heard on that frequency.

2
 Airspeed Indicators

A simple mechanical device attempting to “solve” a very complex equation.

Total Pressure Port Static Pressure Port

Output calibrated to measure

indicated airspeed, VI. Total Pressure

Static Pressure

Indicated Airspeed

Simply put, it’s what the pilot reads on the airspeed indicator is
not the actual speed of the aircraft with respect to the air - Why
not?
In manufacturing the airspeed indicator we have assumed the
airplane is flying at sea level, standard day conditions and is
perfectly installed on the aircraft.
Must convert to True Airspeed through a series of corrections:
VI : Indicated airspeed
Correct for individual
installations
VC : Calibrated airspeed
Correct for actual pressure
Ve : Equivalent airspeed
Correct for actual density
V : True airspeed

True Airspeed Equation

  1

 1   ( Po − P∞ )  3.5 !  
V = V∞ = 

 7 P∞  e
+ 1m − 1 
 ρ ∞   P∞ t ho
  hi s
 a  
ry t
true static tpressure,
This requires
Correct for density
ot CorrectP∞for, and
n
density, ρ ,
pressure ∞
Do
but the True
through airspeed indicator is calibrated to measure:
a formula
through a table
  1

 1   ( Po − P∞ )  3.5  
Vc =   7 PSL  + 1 − 1 

 ρ SL  
 PSL 
 
 

3
 Calibrated Airspeed

Calibrated airspeed is the first step in correcting

indicated airspeed back to “true” airspeed - the
aircraft’s actual velocity through the air
It is indicated airspeed corrected for position error

VC = VI + ∆VP

Vc : Calibrated airspeed
V I : Indicated airspeed

∆VP : Position error

Equivalent Airspeed

Equivalent airspeed is calibrated airspeed corrected for

non-standard pressure
We make the correction using a pressure correction or
“f” factor:

Ve = f Vc

Ve : Equivalent airspeed

f : Pressure correction factor

True Airspeed Equation

  1

 1    ( Po − P∞ )  3.5  
V = V∞ =   7 P∞  + 1 − 1 
 ρ ∞  
 P∞ 
 
 
This requires true static pressure, P∞ , and density, ρ ,
Correct for pressure ∞
but the True airspeed indicator is calibrated to measure:
through a table
  1

 1   ( Po − P∞ )  3.5  
Vc =   7 PSL  + 1 − 1 

 ρ SL  
 PSL 
 
 

4
 Compressibility Correction f Factors

Density Correction

  1

 1    ( P − P )  3.5

+ 1 − 1 
o ∞
V = V∞ =   7 P∞ 
 ρ ∞  
 P∞ 
 

This requires
Correct true static pressure, P∞ , and density, ρ ,
for density
but the True ∞
airspeed indicator is calibrated to measure:
through a formula

  1

 1    ( Po − P∞ )  3.5  
Ve =   7 P∞  + 1 − 1 

 ρ SL  
 P∞ 
 


True Airspeed

True airspeed (V) is equivalent airspeed corrected for non-

standard density
It is the aircraft’s actual speed with respect to the air mass

1 1
Note: q = ρV 2 = ρ SLVe 2
2 2

5
 Groundspeed

Groundspeed is the aircraft’s actual velocity with

respect to the surface of the Earth
It is true airspeed corrected for wind
Groundspeed is found from a vector sum:

VG = V + Vwind

Airspeed Summary

ρ T G
V =V SL
e ρ → → →
V =V +∆V VG = V + V wind
C I P
I C

I ndicated airspeed
C alibrated airspeed
e quivalent airspeed e
T rue airspeed
V = fV
e C

Example

You are flying your F-117 with an indicated airspeed of 304 knots. Your
altimeter reads 20,000 feet PA (pressure altitude), and your stealthy
thermometer reads -33o F (burrr!). You have a 40 knot tailwind and
know that the position error for the aircraft is -4 knots. Calculate the
aircraft’s groundspeed.

VI = 304 KIAS
VC =
VE =
V=
VG =

6
 Manometers

Devices for measuring pressure differences

Assume dh is small - implies g is constant
Assume the fluid is liquid - ρ is constant
P2
dP = − ρ gdh
h2
2 2

∫ dP = − ρg ∫ dh
1 1
P1 ∆h
+
P 2 − P 1 = − ρ g ( h 2 − h 1)
h1

Manometry Equation
ρ liquid = constant

Low Speed Wind Tunnel

For our conditions:
1 2
ƒ ρS = ρroom = 1.0066 kg/m3
(SA @ 2 km)
Settling
Chamber ƒ VS = Vroom = 0
Test Section
Nozzle Diffuser
PS P 1
PT P 2

Therefore Bernoulli’s equation:

V V
VTA
1 2
VSA 1 2

ρS ρ ρT ρ ƒ PS = Proom = PO
1
ƒ PO = PT + ρVT 2

And Velocity:

2 (P O − P T )
∆h
2 ρ liquid g ∆ h
VT = =
ρ ρ air