FAA Ground School Practice Test

The pitot system provides impact pressure for which instrument?

1. Altimeter

2. Airspeed indicator

3. Vertical speed indicator

4. Heading indicator

The correct answer is: Airspeed indicator

The pitot system is crucial for providing the necessary impact pressure that is utilized by the airspeed indicator, which measures the aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air. The airspeed indicator functions by comparing the dynamic pressure from the pitot tube (which faces the airflow) with the static pressure from the static ports. This difference allows the instrument to compute and display the airspeed. The other instruments listed operate differently: the altimeter utilizes static pressure to measure altitude relative to sea level, the vertical speed indicator also uses static pressure to determine the rate of climb or descent, and the heading indicator relies on magnetic data to show the aircraft's orientation relative to magnetic north. Therefore, the pitot system's primary role in providing impact pressure is specifically for the airspeed indicator, making it the correct choice.