Posted for "Bill" <n5zq@verizon.net>:

Ice with OAT 36*F (LIVP): Ram Recovery on OATHey Fred,

Airliners have an OAT probe called a "Rosemont probe". The idea is to give a
more accurate OAT reading. It's an enclosure around the probe with a bunch of
little holes in it. Since only a percentage of the air gets through the holes,
the local velocity inside the "cage" is much less. I guess that the theory is
that the cage absorbs most of the ram and friction rise leaving the air inside
the cage at a low relative velocity and at a temp somewhere near true OAT.
There might be much more to this device that I don't know about (I never
really gave them much thought other than to make sure that it was "there") but
if this is all it is, do you think that we could construct something like this
to reduce OAT error? I'd be interested in your thoughts on this.

Bill Harrelson
N5ZQ 320 1,650 hrs
N6ZQ IV under construction

[Discussion about this very thing long ago led many folks to install their OAT probes in the gear wells.... the gear doors aren't air-tight and the environment inside the gear well is the same as outside (except for rain & stuff) for all intents and purposes. Just another data point. <M> ]