Definition
A carburetor that meters fuel by sensing pressure differences across the airflow rather than relying on fuel sitting in an open float chamber. Fuel is delivered under pressure through a regulated system that responds to the pressure drop in the venturi and the impact pressure of incoming air, producing a more accurate fuel-air mixture across a wide range of flight attitudes and conditions.
Plain English
A type of carburetor that uses pressure differences in the air entering the engine to push the right amount of fuel into the airflow. Because it does not depend on a small pool of fuel sitting in a chamber, it keeps working properly even when the aircraft is climbing, descending, or maneuvering.
Context Anchor
Seen in induction system discussions when comparing pressure-type carburetors with float-type carburetors.
Derivation
Carburetor comes from the French carburer, meaning to combine with carbon — in this case, mixing fuel (a carbon-based liquid) with air. Pressure-type indicates that the device uses air pressure differences to control fuel flow, rather than the gravity-fed float arrangement used in older designs.
Why Pilots Care
Maintains accurate fuel-air ratios across changing altitudes and power settings, reducing risk of engine damage from improper mixtures.
Analogy
It is like using a controlled spray bottle instead of letting liquid spill from a cup. The fuel is pushed and measured under pressure, rather than simply being drawn from a bowl.
Intuition Check
Do not read “pressure-type” as meaning the engine itself has extra pressure or higher power. Here it means the carburetor uses pressure to meter and deliver fuel.
Example Sentence 1
The aircraft's pressure-type carburetor continued to deliver a steady fuel-air mixture during the steep climb, where a float-type carburetor might have struggled.
Example Sentence 2
In climb, the pressure-type carburetor automatically adjusted fuel flow as outside air pressure dropped.