MACHMETER
Front face of Machmeter
Purpose
• It is a direct reading indicator for hi-speed
aircraft and use mach number as indication.
• The mach meter indicates continually at what
decimal fraction of the local true speed of sound
the aircraft is flying.
• The indicated figure is the mach number (M) at
which the aircraft is flying.
• An example: An aircraft flying at the speed of
sound, so it is flying at a Mach number of one,
expressed as "Mach 1.0".
Type of Speed
High-speed flow around objects
• High speed flight can be roughly classified in five
categories:
• Subsonic: Ma < 1
• Sonic: Ma=1
• Transonic: 0.8 < Ma < 1.2
• Supersonic: 1.2 < Ma < 5
• Hypersonic: Ma > 5
Basic Mach Meter
Figure 14
Basic Mach Meter
• The speed of sound is depend on temperature
and altitude.
• At above 25000 feet the air temperature almost
constant. The use of altitude is more possible.
• The speed indicated in Mach meter is a fraction
of speed of sound.
• In computing this fraction of speed of sound ,the
indicated airspeed of aircraft is first computed.
• Then modified by altitude so it become a fraction
of the speed of sound.
A Basic Principle of a Mach Meter.
The above figure shows a basic Mach meter, the
pitot pressure enter to diaphragm and static
pressure inside the case.
• if the plane holds a constant airspeed and
changes its altitude, the mach indication is
changed by the altitude diaphragm.
• If the plane holds a constant altitude and
change its airspeed, the mach indication is
changed by the airspeed diaphragm.
• Two diaphragm work in together.
Variation of the speed of sound
• The speed of sound decrease as the
temperature falls with altitude.
• In standard atmosphere conditions the speed of
sound is 661 knots at temperature 15ºC at sea
level.
• In stratosphere above 36000 feet when the
temperature is -56.5ºC the speed of sound is
573 knots.
Example:
• An indicated 0.7M at sea level at standard
temperature means that the aircraft is flying at
0.7 x 661 or about 463 knots.
• The same mach number at 40000 feet gives a
TAS of 0.7 x 573 or about 400 knots.
• Mach number = TAS .
Local Speed Of sound
• Mach number = P- S
S
* Where P equal to pitot pressure, S = Static
Pressure.
Construction
Consists of:
• The mechanism as ASI –
The sensitive capsule expands in proportion to
the pressure differential between pitot and static
lines.
• The altitude elements -
It employed an aneroid, which expands with
increase of altitude and modifies the
magnification ratio of airspeed mechanism.
•
ALTITUDE
CAPSULE
Figure 15 Construction of a Machmeter
Principle of Operation
Refer to figure 15.
1. All components are in airtight casing which is
provided with a static pressure into the case
and pitot pressure into the airspeed capsule,
providing a measure of P-S.
2. The altitude capsule is totally enclosed and
only affected by the static pressure, providing
a measure of S.
3. The combination of airspeed capsule and
altitude capsule operates the needle of Mach
meter.
Relation ship between Mach
Number and IAS
Questions Machmeter
1. State the purpose and principles of
Machmeter.
2. Name the two types of diaphragm inside
machmeter.
3. State the purpose of the above elements.
4. State the equation used to calculate the
mach number.
