Total Air Temperature Sensor Covers: Protecting Your Aircraft's Vital Sensors
Key Takeaways
- TAT sensors measure outside air temperature and compensate for kinetic heating to provide the air data computer with accurate true airspeed data – making sensor integrity a direct flight safety consideration.
- During ground operations and storage, TAT sensors are exposed to FOD, impact, UV radiation, and moisture. Purpose-built covers prevent these hazards from reaching a sensor that can't easily be inspected from the cockpit before flight.
- Sesame Technologies' FTC-102 is made from Nomex® fabric with a temperature tolerance of 850°F, is completely metal-free to protect sensor surfaces, and includes a high-visibility warning streamer – approved by Boeing and Rosemount Aerospace for commercial and business aircraft use.
- The integrated Sesame Technologies lanyard system connects TAT covers to pitot probe covers, ensuring all covers are removed together and eliminating the risk of departing with any protective cover left in place.
Total air temperature (TAT) sensors are small, precisely calibrated probes that perform a critical function – and they spend most of their time exposed to the elements on the aircraft's exterior. Protecting them during ground operations and storage is a straightforward step that prevents damage, contamination, and the operational consequences that follow.
In this article, we'll explain why TAT sensor protection matters, what sets Sesame Technologies' covers apart, and which model is right for your aircraft.
Why TAT Sensor Protection Matters
TAT sensors measure outside air temperature and account for the kinetic heating effect of airflow, providing the air data computer with the data it needs to accurately calculate true airspeed. Any damage to or contamination of the sensor can compromise its accuracy, with direct implications for flight safety and performance.
When the aircraft is on the ground, TAT sensors are exposed to foreign object debris, impact damage, UV degradation, and moisture ingress during maintenance and storage. A purpose-built TAT sensor cover is a simple, reliable safeguard against these risks before they affect flight operations.
Why Choose Sesame Technologies TAT Covers?
Sesame Technologies designs its protective equipment to meet the demands of professional aviation environments. Each TAT sensor cover is constructed from Nomex® – the same flame-resistant, high-performance material used throughout the aviation and defense industries – and is engineered to protect sensors across a wide range of conditions. Key features include:
- Nomex® fabric construction
- Temperature tolerance up to 850°F
- Flame-retardant – will not melt
- Water-repellent and weather-tolerant
- UV-resistant
- Chemical- and abrasion-resistant
- Completely metal-free for soft, nonabrasive contact that protects sensor surfaces
Sesame Technologies also integrates a safety lanyard system that connects TAT covers to pitot probe covers, ensuring all covers are removed together before flight – a practical safeguard against inadvertent departure with protective covers left in place.
Sesame Technologies FTC-102 Total Air Temperature Cover
The FTC-102 is Sesame Technologies' purpose-designed cover for fuselage-mounted TAT sensors. It fits over the sensor to protect it from foreign matter and impact damage, and is approved by Boeing and Rosemount Aerospace – making it suitable for a wide variety of commercial and business aircraft. Made from red Nomex® fabric with a high-visibility red warning streamer for pre-flight walkarounds, the FTC-102 is fully compatible with all Rosemount Model 101/102 fuselage-mounted TAT sensors.
The Bottom Line
TAT sensors are precision instruments that directly affect airspeed accuracy – and protecting them on the ground costs far less than repairing or replacing them. Sesame Technologies' Nomex-constructed FTC-102 offers a proven, Boeing- and Rosemount Aerospace-approved solution that installs in seconds and delivers lasting sensor protection.
Pilot John International® (PJi®) carries the Sesame Technologies FTC-102 and the full line of Sesame Technologies aircraft protective covers. Contact our aviation specialists by phone, email, or live chat for personalized assistance in finding the right protective solution for your aircraft.
