Air Data Test Set
An air data test set (ADTS), also known as a pitot-static test set, is used by aircraft operators and maintenance technicians to simulate the pressure and vacuum conditions needed to test and calibrate an aircraft’s onboard instruments, including the altimeter, airspeed, manifold pressure, vertical speed, and engine pressure ratio (EPR) indicators.
A pitot-static tester also provides the means to test for leaks in an aircraft’s pitot-static system, a critical factor in the safety and performance of the aircraft.
At PJi, we offer a wide range of new, used, and rental pitot-static test equipment – both non-RVSM and RVSM-compliant – for testing an aircraft’s onboard avionics systems. We also provide repair and calibration services for pitot-static testers.
Our knowledgeable aviation specialists can help find the air data test sets, adapters, and accessories best suited to your aircraft.
Pitot & Static Adapters
We provide the pitot and static adapters you need to complement your air data test set.
Air Data Accessories Kit
Need a complete air data accessories kit for your aircraft? Let PJi’s aviation experts assist you with a customized quote.
What is the pitot-static system in an airplane?
The pitot-static system is a network of pressure-sensitive instruments and sensors – including pitot tubes, static ports, and pitot-static lines – used to measure an aircraft’s airspeed, vertical speed, Mach number, altitude, and altitude trend.
The data provided by the pitot-static system – displayed on multiple onboard instruments, including the airspeed indicator (ASI), altimeter, and vertical speed indicator (VSI) – provides pilots with critical information needed during flight to ensure the safety of passengers, flight crew, and the aircraft itself.
How often does the pitot-static system need to be checked?
An aircraft’s pitot-static system must be tested and inspected every two years in order to comply with regulatory requirements. This test can be performed using a pitot-static tester while the aircraft is on the ground.
What happens if the pitot-static system fails?
A pitot or static system failure can result in erratic and unreliable instrument readings, which can be extremely dangerous as the information gathered from these systems is often safety-critical.
A blocked pitot tube will prompt the airspeed indicator to register an increase in airspeed when the aircraft is climbing, even though the actual airspeed remains constant. When the aircraft is descending, the airspeed indicator will register a decrease in airspeed.
A blocked static port will cause the altimeter to freeze at a constant value, whereas the airspeed indicator will cause the airspeed to appear less than it actually is as the aircraft climbs and more than it actually is as the aircraft descends.
What are RVSM requirements?
RVSM, short for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum, reduces the standard vertical separation required between aircraft from 2,000 feet to 1,000 feet when flying at altitudes of 29,000 to 41,000 feet. This helps increase the number of aircraft that can fly in a defined area of airspace, provides greater access to more fuel-efficient flight levels, and enables pilots to avoid turbulence more easily.
To obtain RVSM approval, operators must ensure that aircraft meets minimum monitoring requirements established by their respective state authority (determined by the country where the aircraft is registered), pilots and crews must be trained in appropriate RVSM flight procedures, and the integrity and accuracy of the aircraft's altitude-indicating systems must be closely monitored.
Monitoring flight checks must be completed every two years of 1,000 flight hours (whichever is greater) in order to maintain RVSM approval. When performing systems checks on aircraft equipped with RVSM-certified altimeters, you should always use pitot-static test equipment that is RVSM-compliant.
