> Here's a question, and I do not know
> the proper answer. Is the reported wind
> speed in INDICATED airspeed or
> TRUE airspeed?
WIND speed is what is reported by ATS. AIRSPEED is the velocity of an object
moving through an airmass. In the case of wind speed reported by ATS it is
measured with an anemometer. Also IIRC it is indicated in degrees magnetic.
AFAIK there is no compensation for density altitude in the wind speed
reported by ATS.
True airspeed is indicated airspeed with compensation for instrument and
position errors, compressibility and density altitude.
There is a good discussion on the subject at
http://www.nar-associates.com/technical-flying/airspeed/airspeed_wide.pdf.
> Second part to the question: If the probe
> that measures the wind speed is a pitot
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> It always seems that the higher I go to fly, the
> stronger a 15 mph wind feels.
Actually it should be the reverse although I doubt anyone could feel much
difference except with extreme altitude changes.
> As far as the aircraft goes, there is no
> argument. The aircraft responds to Q.
> 1/2 rho Vsquared
As to the original posters question; as density altitude increases, your
mixture will richen and require you to lean the needle setting.
> Marlowe wrote in message ...
>>If you live near an airport there is a good chance they have a recorded
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>>
>>> just a theorectical question.
dennisbrown@toast.net - 25 Nov 2005 20:53 GMT
I think you're thinking about ATIS. They report the
airport condition, including wind.
I agree with the rest of your response.
But.
I still wonder if they are reporting the same as
a calibrated pitot/static system or if they are
reporting what a calibrated pitot/static with
corrections for non-standard temperature
and pressure (sea level standard day)
would be. i.e. does an anemometer
need such corrections?
Compressibility isn't much at mach .01
A second part of the question would be -
just what corrections ARE applied when
calibrating an anemometer. I have been
involved in more than a few airspeed
system calibrations. There is a lot more
to those calibrations than the majority
of pilots know about. The advent of
INS, GPS, and other electronics has
changed the nature of these processes
and I have little experience with current methods.
Rob Dover wrote in message ...
>> Here's a question, and I do not know
>> the proper answer. Is the reported wind
[quoted text clipped - 52 lines]
>>>>
>>>> just a theorectical question.
Rob & Chris - 26 Nov 2005 15:33 GMT
> I think you're thinking about ATIS. They report the
> airport condition, including wind.
ATS = Air Traffic Services includes Air Traffic Control (ATC), Flight
Services (FSS), Flight Planning and probably others.
> I agree with the rest of your response.
> But.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> would be. i.e. does an anemometer
> need such corrections?
Good question, I'm afraid I don't have an answer though.
> Compressibility isn't much at mach .01
>
[quoted text clipped - 71 lines]
> >>>>
> >>>> just a theorectical question.
Dan_Thomas_nospam@yahoo.com - 30 Nov 2005 00:41 GMT
Airport windspeeds are measured with accurate anemometers.
Pitot systems aren't accurate at low windspeeds, since dynamic pressure
increases by the square of the increase in speed. It would take
extremely sensitive pitot-type indicators to register a light breeze.
They report ground winds in degrees magnetic and in knots
(nautical miles per hour). One knot is about 1.15 MPH.
The wind speed indeed increases with altitude above the ground.
The friction of the ground slows the air near it, and also causes a
directional change. The wind will come more from the right as you
climb, more from the left as you descend. It's a result of Coriolis
Force, caused by the Earth's rotational velocity imparted to moving air
masses. As well, the air near the ground cools more at night, gets
heavier, and tends to disconnect from the upper air layers, so that
there's usually little wind at night and into the morning. We've seen
no wind on the ground at 8 or 9 AM, yet at 500 feet there might be 25
or 30 knots. As the air warms up, it begins to mix with the upper air,
and the ground winds pick up. So the best model flying times will be
late evening or early morning.
Of course, a temperature inversion can change all that.
Dan
indoruwet - 30 Nov 2005 04:49 GMT
Dan_Thomas_nospam@yahoo.com Wrote:
> We've seen no wind on the ground at 8 or 9 AM, yet at 500 feet ther
> might be 25 or 30 knots. As the air warms up, it begins to mix with th
> upper air, and the ground winds pick up. So the best model flying time
> will be late evening or early morning.
We fly a couple of miles south of the Great Salt Lake. Early mornings
Lake is cool, dessert surface is cool. Very little wind or no wind a
all. Then the dessert surface heats up (especially in the summer
about tennish or so. Wind starts to blow coming from the cool lake.
Time to pack up
--
indoruwe