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Old 8th Jul 2019, 11:41
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Pilot DAR
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Age: 63
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Difference between CAS and IAS is position error and instrument error.
The difference between CAS (Calibrated airspeed) and IAS (Indicated airspeed) is: IAS is CAS as corrected by the correction table in the flight manual, which accounts for the effects of alignment error of the pitot tube [to free stream air] at higher angles of attack (slower speeds), and static port position error (faster speeds). If the aircraft has an airspeed indicator, that is a pressure gauge which reacts to impact pressure on the pitot tube, and pure static pressure, and does not know of alignment or position errors, hence the need to present a correction table in the FM. If there is instrument error, that is not accounted for in the IAS to CAS table, as the error would be unique to that particular instrument, and might be corrected with calibration or replacement of that particular airspeed indicator. An air data computer may be programmed to account for the difference between IAS and CAS, and thus present the airspeed to the pilot as CAS. This is possible if the air data computer is also receiving AoA data. If this is the case, the flight manual should state which speed is being presented to the pilot.

When I did a system calibration last week using a very advanced calibration unit, I noticed that the calibration unit presented the "airspeed" as being "CAS". However, as we were using it on a regular airspeed indicator. Therefore the "CAS" of the calibration unit simulated airspeed is really "IAS" as seen by the indicator, because the test unit cannot simulate position or alignment errors for that type of aircraft. In the case of the calibrations we were doing, the difference between the test unit simulated value, and the airspeed indicator value was instrument error, and yes, was a little different left and right in the cockpit.

I do find it to be a disconnect when some speeds and speed limitations are actually, and correctly presented as CAS, and that speed is marked on the airspeed indicator, which is presenting in IAS - thus ignoring a possible difference.

EAS and TAS were not considered in the calibration we were doing, as it was a 170 KIAS Vmo airplane, so they are not factors for this type.
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