New research conducted has revealed that an acoustic blockage-detection system can avert future accidents by alerting pilots of a blocked Pitot before the situation becomes critical.

Researchers from University of Bristol, UK, examined whether the traditional acoustic methods of detecting A bee on a Pitot tube. Source: University of Bristolblockages in pipes or ears of newborn babies could be used in case of real aircraft Pitot tubes that can contain irregular shapes and passages. The potential for these acoustic methods in discovering common blockage types such as tape, ice and insects was also studied.

A CT scanner was used to X-ray three Pitot-statics from two different commercial aircraft. An acoustic study was also conducted to detect variations between blocked and unblocked reflected acoustic waves. Tests using different blockage types, including tape, insects, foam and metal, were performed on the same tubes.

These efforts confirmed the possibility of detecting blockages reliably, even for small tubes or those containing non-cylindrical shapes. However, for the method to work well it is necessary for there to be a simple tube along most of the length of the pressure duct.

The researchers caution that these data are only for a Pitot in an aircraft on the ground. The next phase of the research would be for the system to be tested for in-flight operation, which would require detailed noise data from a real aircraft.