Is this good for hobbyists & makers?

Yes — this version of "Pitot-Tube Airspeed for a gliding albatross" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.

Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Hobbyists & Makers · Pitot-Tube Airspeed

Pitot-Tube Airspeed for a gliding albatross

Built for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker. Simulate a gliding albatross live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Pitot-Tube AirspeedLive

how planes measure speed

Controls

Presets

Dynamic pressure Δp (Pa)

Altitude (m)

A pitot tube measures the pressure difference between still and moving air, then airspeed follows from v = √(2Δp/ρ). Because air thins with altitude, true airspeed exceeds the indicated value up high — a key gotcha in aviation. Educational tool.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Air density1.225 kg/m³

True airspeed49.5 m/s

Indicated airspeed49.5 m/s

Mach number0.145

Governing equation

v = \frac{2 ( p _{0} - p _{s} )}{ρ} = \frac{2 \cdot 1500}{1.225} = 49.5 m/s

Reading this result: Near sea level the air is close to standard density, so true airspeed and indicated airspeed nearly coincide — the gauge reads reality directly.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for hobbyists & makers?: Yes — this version of "Pitot-Tube Airspeed for a gliding albatross" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.