Pitot-static tube

9.1

A small tube on a plane that measures air pressure to show the speed of the plane

noun
/ˈpiːtoʊ ˈstætɪk tuːb/

Specialized

: tubo Pitot-estático

The pilot checked the Pitot-static tube to ensure accurate airspeed readings before takeoff.

Examples

A blocked Pitot-static tube can cause serious errors in an aircraft's instrument readings.
Technicians inspected the Pitot-static tube for any signs of icing during the routine maintenance check.
The Pitot-static tube measures airspeed accurately.
Can you explain how the Pitot-static tube works?
The pilot checked the Pitot-static tube to ensure accurate airspeed readings before takeoff.
Technicians inspected the Pitot-static tube for any signs of icing during the routine maintenance check.
A blocked Pitot-static tube can cause serious errors in an aircraft's instrument readings.

Synonyms

Pitot head

vsPitot-static tube

Specialized

8.3

A device that measures air pressure to show a plane's airspeed

has identical function but uses another technical name

Surface Forms

Pitot-static tube singular

Pitot-static tubes plural

Morphology

Pitot-static + tube

This is a specialized, eponymic technical term: 'Pitot' is a proper name and 'Pitot-static' labels a specific combined instrument, so knowing 'static' and 'tube' does not allow a B1 learner to infer that it measures air pressures to determine airspeed. The meaning depends on domain-specific aeronautical knowledge rather than regular compositional semantics, making it unpredictable for general learners.

Etymology

Pitot-static tube combines two small tubes: the forward Pitot tube points into the wind and 'catches' the moving air, and the side static tube senses the nearby still air. By comparing what each tube feels, the device tells pilots the plane's 'airspeed', so the name reminds us it measures both moving and static air.