PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Has anyone ever considered using a RAT as an emergency replacement for Pitots?
Old 2nd November 2025 | 14:58
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safetypee
 
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: UK
Most of the pitot icing incidents identified on A330 aircraft and other types involved rare extreme conditions (e.g.ice crystals) at the limits of certification requirements. Icing requirements have been reviewed / changed,

Continued airworthiness reporting had identified several (20+?) events of similar nature to AF447 which required safety action. The A330 pitots were being replaced at the time of the AF447 accident.

The Airbus improvements above consider other issues associated with integrated airdata and automatic monitoring/switching associated with triple systems, i.e. use best 'two out of three' identical systems; vice pilot choice after comparator alerting with dual systems and independent, different third system.

Not just airspeed but 'air data', its computation and use.

Note that Airbus also considers retrofit cost - down time, training, and common type rating.
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