Air speed and attitude probe

US4184149A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Gerald J. Baker · Wauwatosa, US
• Merle A. Economu · Palmdale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 30, 1978
• Grant date: Jan 15, 1980
• Expiry date: May 30, 1998

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01P5/16
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An air speed and attitude probe characterized by a pivot shaft normally projected from a data boom and supported thereby for rotation about an axis of rotation coincident with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a tubular body supported for angular displacement about the axis of rotation, a fin mounted on the body for maintaining one end of the body in facing relation with relative wind, a pair of transducers mounted in the body for providing intelligence indicative of total pressure and static pressure for use in determining air speed, a stack of potentiometers coupled with the shaft for providing intelligence indicative of aircraft attitude, and circuitry connecting the transducers and potentiometers to suitable telemetry circuits.