True airspeed

True Airspeed

True airspeed, also known as “TAS”, refers to the speed at which an aircraft is moving relative to the air it is flying through. This measurement takes into account factors such as altitude and temperature, which can affect the aircraft’s performance. TAS is determined by applying corrections to the aircraft’s indicated airspeed (IAS), which is the speed measured by the aircraft’s instruments without any corrections. The corrections applied to IAS account for changes in air density due to variations in temperature and pressure, resulting in a more accurate measurement of the aircraft’s true airspeed. Knowing TAS is important for flight planning and navigation, as it allows pilots to accurately calculate factors such as fuel consumption, flight time, and ground speed.