self test for pitot static system?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Europe
Posts: 222
self test for pitot static system?
A LH Cargo 772 recently took off with the two main static port lines not connected after maintenance. Clogged, capped or frozen Pitot tubes have caused air plain crashes.
Is there no self testing system commercially available or has been proposed that would detect major leaks, unconnected lines or closed ports to the outside world?
https://www.bfu-web.de/EN/Publicatio...ublicationFile
Is there no self testing system commercially available or has been proposed that would detect major leaks, unconnected lines or closed ports to the outside world?
https://www.bfu-web.de/EN/Publicatio...ublicationFile

Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Norwich
Posts: 4
A LH Cargo 772 recently took off with the two main static port lines not connected after maintenance. Clogged, capped or frozen Pitot tubes have caused air plain crashes.
Is there no self testing system commercially available or has been proposed that would detect major leaks, unconnected lines or closed ports to the outside world?
Is there no self testing system commercially available or has been proposed that would detect major leaks, unconnected lines or closed ports to the outside world?

Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Norwich
Posts: 4
A pitot static system is a physcial thing. It needs an external test device to prove it. That needs a competent person to do the test. I would never operate a Drunk test set without the training. B1.1 . Not passed the levels of knowledge to be proved as competent.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 43
They avoid that issue nowadays by placing a sensor directly into the Port. Wether it is Pitot or Static. This eliminiates long lines of Pressurehose which could be a problem. And yes, one could do really high damage to costly Equipment. So this Problem will "phase itself out" and become an electrical problem. But at least one easier diagnosable. Avionics guy here.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: EDSP
Posts: 337
For my part I was more astonished that the indepenent check of work being done to System L and R would not involve any tests to System L and R but to the backup System C. But I have to concede - it did the job, they had one set of working clocks.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Posts: 160
Now, how are we going to verify that the system has returned to normal? E.G. all the valves that were installed have returned to normal state?
And it would have to be certified/configurated/tested that the system would not operate in flight.
What about a short taxi and the test is not complete, a take off warning horn when power is applied?
And even if the pressure would blow off the tape/obstruction, there is no easy why to verify it is all gone, which means errors that are unknown.
I'm pretty sure no operator wants to add this complexity to a "simple" system.

Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Norwich
Posts: 4
No it doesn't. Some one also fitted a panel over those ADMs and didn't do a proper clear to fit.