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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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272 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />

Fig. 7.8 <strong>The</strong> pipework involved with pressure-sensing instruments. <strong>The</strong>se require a dynamic pressure feed<br />

from a forward facing port or pitot head and a static pressure feed typically from ports on <strong>the</strong> side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull.<br />

Fig. 7.9 <strong>The</strong> altimeter is essentially a barometer fitted with a control that can adjust <strong>the</strong> reference. This allows<br />

it to display altitude with respect to a pressure that has been input on <strong>the</strong> setting scale. Evacuated bellows (a)<br />

is sensing element in conjunction with spring (b). Rising air pressure collapses bellows and stretches spring.<br />

Falling air pressure allows <strong>the</strong> spring to expand <strong>the</strong> capsule. Capsule movement is amplified by lever (c) which<br />

operates <strong>the</strong> display pointers via a system <strong>of</strong> gears (d). Altimeter is compensated for ambient pressure by turning<br />

knob (e) according to subscale setting required on <strong>the</strong> card (f). Subscale knob is arranged to stretch or relax <strong>the</strong><br />

spring slightly in order to give zero reading at a range <strong>of</strong> barometric pressures. <strong>The</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> instrument is<br />

connected to <strong>the</strong> static vent pipe.<br />

links and gears amplifies <strong>the</strong> small capsule expansion to move <strong>the</strong> pointer over a scale.<br />

<strong>The</strong> aneroid altimeter needs no power except to illuminate <strong>the</strong> scale.<br />

A conventional barometer measures absolute pressure for meteorological purposes,<br />

whereas <strong>the</strong> altimeter is required to measure <strong>the</strong> pressure difference between its present<br />

location and some reference pressure in order to compensate for barometric changes.<br />

<strong>The</strong> pressure difference is, however, displayed in feet (or metres). <strong>The</strong> reference pressure

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