ASCI - Aviation Science

  Pitot-Static failure      The pitot-static system provides information to the instrument panel, specifically the airspeed indicator, the vertical speed indicator, and the altimeter. The information provided helps a pilot understand the aircraft's performance while in flight. But what if this system were to fail? Given that system redundancy is available in most aircraft, failure might be possible if your aircraft is only equipped with one pitot tube and one static port. In the event of loss, because of the connections to each instrument, the display characteristics would vary based on the source that has failed. For instance, if the tube were to fail, the airspeed indicator would still be functioning, but it would not be accurate. If a static port were to fail, the displayed information in the altimeter and vertical speed indicator would show the last information before failure, and the airspeed indicator would be inaccurate. Failure of this system can be managed, ...

  Density Altitude Density Altitude (DA) is defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as "pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperatures" (FAA, 2008). This is better described by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association as the altitude at which the aircraft feels like it is flying (AOPA, 2022). This is important because depending on the environment, the limitations of the aircraft performance chart data may not support the aircraft flight plan. AOPA describes these effects as the "Triple H effect" (AOPA, 2022), as High Altitude, High Temperature, and High Humidity. The FAA simplifies this further by describing it as "High, Hot, and Humid" (FAA, 2008). At high altitudes, the air is thinner and less dense, which causes lift issues. The same environment will provide less oxygen to the engine for the proper mixture, ultimately requiring the engine to work harder. The same theory applies to hot and humid environments in relation to heat. The ho...