Position error

Position error is one of the errors affecting the systems in an aircraft for measuring airspeed and altitude.[1][2] It is not practical or necessary for an aircraft to have an airspeed indicating system and an altitude indicating system that are exactly accurate. A small amount of error is tolerable. It is caused by the location of the static vent that supplies air pressure to the airspeed indicator and altimeter; there is no position on an aircraft where, at all angles of attack, the static pressure is always equal to atmospheric pressure.

  1. ^ Kermode, A.C.,Mechanics of Flight, 10th Edition – page 65
  2. ^ ”Of these errors the error in detection of static pressure is generally the most serious and has the special name, position error.” Dommasch, D.O., Sherby, S.S., and Connolly, T.F. (1967) Airplane Aerodynamics, 4th edition – page 51, Pitman Publishing Corp., New York