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low n' slow
28th Jan 2013, 17:23
Hi all.
Quick question for those with knowledge in avionics.
What are normally the inputs to an ADC (air data computer)? I teach in instrumentations and have always thought it to be static pressure, pitot pressure and temperature as the minimum. That is, static pressure, total pressure and temperature. The dynamic pressure is derived from total pressure minus static pressure, much as in the normal iar speed indicator. This is true according to my knowledge, but a student pointed to other facts stated in their oxford material. This pointed out dynamic pressure as an input to the ADC which in my world is false as this cannot be sensed and measured directly. Being printed and published information though, I'm thinking I could be wrong.

There are ofcourse a number of different ADC units, including those with ADM's sending electronic signals to the computing unit, and for those i'm thinking it may be possible to send a signal of dynamic pressure to the computing unit, but for the older variants with pressure tubes running to the unit, can dynamic pressure really be considered an input? I would rather say that it is a partial input included in the total pressure.

I'm not an avionics engineer in any form so any help would be grateful.
Cheers
/LnS