Indicated Airspeed Jet Pitot Tube 
Pilot Institute
JULY 11, 2025
Why do jet pilots talk about speed in terms of Mach number? Why don’t they use Indicated Airspeed just like the pilots who fly slower aircraft? Jet aircraft often fly at speeds close to the speed of sound. Key Takeaways Mach number is a dimensionless ratio of true airspeed to local speed of sound. Here’s why.
Pilot Institute
NOVEMBER 16, 2024
If you’re aiming to get comfortable with managing both airspeed and altitude in flight, you’ll need to understand the difference between indicated airspeed (IAS) and true airspeed (TAS). Key Takeaways Airspeed and altitude are directly linked to each other throughout different phases of your flight. Why is that?
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