Commercial ACS Practice Exam

When a pitot tube becomes blocked, it can no longer measure the dynamic pressure of the air flowing into it. This blockage directly impacts the airspeed indicator, which relies on a dynamic pressure input to calculate airspeed. With the pitot tube obstructed, the instrument cannot detect the airflow effectively. Consequently, the airspeed reading can drop to zero or may fail to provide any meaningful information about the actual speed of the aircraft through the air. As a result, the pilot would receive an inaccurate airspeed indication, leading to potential operational issues such as the inability to identify stall conditions.

Understanding pitot blockage and its effects is critical for maintaining safe flight operations, as airspeed is a vital parameter for managing the performance and safety of the aircraft.