Definition
A forward-facing tube mounted on the exterior of an aircraft that captures the ram (impact) pressure of the oncoming airstream during flight. This pressure is delivered to the airspeed indicator and, in some systems, other pitot-static instruments, where it is compared against static pressure to determine airspeed.
Plain English
A small open-ended tube that points into the wind as the aircraft flies. The air pushing into it is used by the airspeed indicator to show how fast the aircraft is moving through the air.
Context Anchor
Seen during preflight inspection, in pitot tube maintenance, and in discussions of airspeed indication and pitot heat.
Derivation
Named after Henri Pitot, an 18th-century French engineer who invented the tube to measure the speed of flowing water in rivers. The same principle — a tube facing into a moving fluid to capture its pressure — was later adapted for aircraft to measure airspeed.
Why Pilots Care
A blocked or damaged pitot tube produces incorrect airspeed indications that can lead to loss of control or unsafe flight decisions.
Grounding Statement
As the aircraft moves forward, air is forced into the pitot opening, and that pressure is used to help determine airspeed.
Intuition Check
Pitot does not mean any small tube on the aircraft. In aviation, it specifically refers to the forward-facing pressure pickup used for airspeed measurement.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot removed the pitot cover and checked that the opening was clear of insects and debris.
Example Sentence 2
During the post-maintenance check the technician verified the pitot tube heater worked correctly.