air-speed

The pilot checks the air-speed indicator on the dashboard.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Speed of an aircraft relative to the air: "air-speed" refers to the velocity of an aircraft measured in relation to the air through which it moves, rather than relative to the ground.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The pilot carefully monitored the air-speed during takeoff to ensure a safe ascent. (The speed of the aircraft relative to the surrounding air.)
  • Strong headwinds can reduce the ground speed even if the air-speed remains constant. (The aircraft's velocity through the air may stay the same, but its progress over the ground slows.)

Advanced Usage

• "indicated air-speed": the air-speed read directly from an aircraft's instrument, uncorrected for altitude or temperature variations.

  • The indicated air-speed showed 200 knots, but the true air-speed was higher due to thin air at high altitude. (The instrument reading differs from the actual speed through the air.)

• "true air-speed": the actual speed of the aircraft relative to the air, corrected for atmospheric conditions.

  • Calculating true air-speed is essential for accurate flight planning and fuel management. (The corrected velocity used in navigation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Airspeed (n): a variant spelling of "air-speed," often used interchangeably.

  • The airspeed indicator is a critical instrument in the cockpit. (The device that displays the aircraft's speed through the air.)

• Airspeed indicator (n): the instrument that measures and displays air-speed.

  • The airspeed indicator showed a sudden drop, indicating a possible stall. (The gauge for air-speed.)

Synonyms

• Velocity relative to air: the rate of motion of an aircraft with respect to the air mass.
• Airspeed velocity: a technical term for the same concept.

Phrasal Verbs

Related Idioms