Citation

Shankar A, Kumar A, Vignesh V. Int. J. Adv. Eng. Technol. 2011; 1(3): 18-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, IAET Publishing House)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The most important systems being used for the effective and safe operation of an airplane is the Altitude Measurement Systems, a duty carried out by means of an altimeter. The altimeter output is affected by the input that is given to it. The input that is used by the altimeter to show the desired altitude is nothing but the barometric pressure at the height at which the aircraft is travelling in. The barometric pressure is converted to the appropriate altitude by means of either pitot tubes or sensors. The pitot-tube is being used widely in all commercial airliners. The pitot-static systems are extremely susceptible to blockage by foreign bodies in case the aircraft sits on the tarmac for long time. To avoid contamination of the liquid which senses the change in pressure, the pitot-tubes are covered and if this cover is not removed, the pitot-tube gets blocked. Sensors are extremely susceptible to be burdened by ice, and in cases where the heating is not available in the place where the sensors are kept, erratic altitudes may result. It is therefore proposed, theoretically, to make efficient use of a four bar chain mechanism, called the Watt's Indicator Mechanism, in order to eradicate the effects of blockage by foreign matter and burdening by ice and thereby promoting the effective measurement of altitude in airplanes. This mechanism would be able to provide means of measuring altitude if calibrated appropriately.