ATPL Forum Practice Test

A pitot tube measures pitot pressure, which is a combination of static and dynamic pressures. It is specifically designed to measure the total pressure experienced by an object in motion through a fluid. The pitot tube collects air from the front of the aircraft, and the air column within the tube experiences a pressure increase due to the aircraft's velocity, known as dynamic pressure. Simultaneously, it also accounts for the static pressure in the surrounding environment. Therefore, the reading from the pitot tube reflects the total pressure, which includes both components.

In aviation, the total pressure measured by the pitot tube is crucial for determining airspeed because it provides a means of calculating dynamic pressure, essential for understanding how fast the aircraft is moving through the air. Static pressure, while also important, is measured separately using static ports rather than the pitot tube itself. The term "manifold pressure" and the context in which it is applied relates to the performance of engines and does not pertain to the functions of a pitot tube. Hence, the most accurate term for what a pitot tube measures is pitot pressure.