Can anyone explain how the Pitot Mast in an Archer keeps water out of the Airspeed Indicator? Other pitot systems have drain holes which allow water out the back. I can’t find any info on this. The Archer does however have a static port drain. Any info appreciated!
Archer Pitot Mast?
- Thread starter Kane44
- Start date
Timbeck2
Final Approach
Its the same drain since both pitot and static are in the same mast.
It is correct. The pitot mast on the Archer combines the pitot and static together. That little cutout near the bottom is the static side and the drain is at the bottom, but there isn’t an external pitot drain. The system is drained from inside the cockpit.
Think of it in this manner. The airspeed indicator does not consume air so no water should technically make it's way to the indicator. The mast is simply a support for the pitot sensor port and static sensor port. For water that does get into the "closed" pitot system either by rain/washing/condensation there are system drains located at the low point from which to drain any water. Here's some more info (Chapter 34):
http://www.centennialaviationacadem...er_archer_ii_pa-28-181_maintenance_manual.pdf
Here’s a few images from an Archer training manual.
If on a standard pitot tube you have a blockage and the drain hole remains open the airspeed will read zero. If a blockage on the pitot mast occurs with no drain hole it will act as an altimeter right? So there is a difference