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Old 8th Jun 2009, 07:09
  #550 (permalink)  
IO540
 
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If I remember correctly from aerodynamics lectures, there is no other reliable way to measure airspeed.

One could use Doppler radar, but that would involve tracer particles. Or one could use a propeller which might give somewhat reliable readings below 300 knots but would completely miss static air pressure.
There most certainly are ways of measuring gas flow velocity; there is a huge industry making sensors which do this. Ultrasonic, coriolis, you name it. The raw data will not be the same as a pitot tube (which doesn't measure TAS anyway) but could be corrected back to read an "IAS" like a pitot tube does.
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