Pitot-static system

Okay kiddo, have you ever blown up a balloon and let it go? When you let it go, it flies around because the air is pushing on it. The pitot-static system is kinda like that for airplanes. Let's break it down.

First, we need to understand that airplanes have different speeds. Sometimes they go really fast, sometimes they go really slow, and sometimes they just sit on the ground. But how does the pilot know how fast they're going? That's where the pitot-static system comes in.

The pitot part of the system is like a little tube on the airplane that sticks out into the wind. It's named after a smart guy named Henri Pitot who figured out how to measure water flow a long time ago. When the airplane is moving, air flows into the pitot tube and creates pressure. The more pressure there is, the faster the airplane is going.

Then there's the static part of the system. This is another little tube on the airplane, but it's not pointed into the wind like the pitot tube. It's just hanging out there, kinda like a straw in a cup. The static tube measures the air pressure around the airplane. This helps the pilot know how high up they are.

But wait, there's more! Sometimes the air pressure around the airplane changes because of weather. That can mess with the pitot and static tubes. So there's a special tool called an altimeter that uses both of these sensors to figure out how high the airplane really is.

And that's the pitot-static system! It helps pilots know how fast and high they're flying. So next time you see an airplane, you can impress your friends by telling them all about it.