Blocked Pitot

Took off today with my Pitot cover installed. I am running dual Dynon ADAHARS and dual AFS 5600t's. Other than no airspeed or AOA, everything else functioned normally. I had always been curious how a blocked Pitot would effect the system as a whole. Stopped at a local airport and replaced my now ragged cover with a new one with a big red banner. Lesson learned!

So it did not give you an warning that it was using GPS for speed instead of airspeed?

Only indications were airspeed "0" and AOA off scale low.

same

I did the same dumb thing recently. I have Dynon HDX and a backup Dynon D6. I realized just as I was lifting off and decided to continue once around the pattern. I got GPS assist indications on the HDX and the D6. The only other thing of note was the Dynon giving me a warning to turn on pitot heat (I guess it assumes it is iced over). .... Classic distraction during preflight inspection kind-of-thing. A non-event, but I don't plan to repeat the "experiment".

I recommend everyone take off once with the airspeed indicator covered, and go around the circuit and land.
It is a very good exercise in my mind (do it with a safety pilot if you want to be extra safe, and remember you can remove the cover if you are so inclined).
Then, in the unlikely future event of no airspeed indication, you would have the knowledge that you can land the airplane regardless.
I did this twice and found it an invaluable experience.

I'll admit to being in that club as well, though not because of a pitot tube cover.

I was removing my MGL mini-EFIS and replacing it with a Garmin G5, and was right in the middle of all the work when a perfect afternoon for a quick flight presented itself. I hit the power on the runway and was at rotation speed before I realized I didn't have any airspeed indication - and immediately realized why, when I glanced at the round hole in my panel where the G5 would eventually live - and the open pitot and static lines in the middle of that hole, happily venting to cabin pressure.

Knowing your airplane, the way it feels and sounds at various airspeeds, sure is a nice handy skill to have. Once around the patch and back down we go...

It happens to the best of pilots. Last fall my hanger neighbor, who has flown for over 40 years and is also an AP/AI, asked me to go up with him in his Bonanza so he could check out the new GTN 750 he just installed. He also realized what he had forgotten to do at right about rotation speed. He was pretty embarrassed about that. This is a prime example of why I ALWAYS do a thorough pre-flight with my pre-flight check list in hand. That's not a guarantee you won't miss something,,,,,but it helps.

Whoaa Greg, you’re The Best

Knowing your airplane

Click to expand...

Ok, also managed a take-off with Vans pitot cover still on... funnily enough I had airspeed numbers, though all delayed. Flew 1/2 hour at reduced speed, landed, and the cover was still there, no damage, no unstitched seams, go figure...