Aircraft Pressure Gauge
Absolute Pressure – A gauge that includes atmospheric pressure in its reading is measuring what is known as absolute pressure, or psia. Absolute pressure is equal to gauge pressure plus atmospheric pressure. If someone hooked up a psia indicating instrument to an engine’s oil system, the gauge would read atmospheric pressure when the engine was not running. Since this would not make good sense to the typical operator, psia gauges are not used in this type of application. For the manifold pressure on a piston engine, a psia gauge does make good sense. Manifold pressure on a piston engine can read anywhere from less than atmospheric pressure if the engine is not supercharged, to more than atmospheric if it is supercharged. The only gauge that has the flexibility to show this variety of readings is the absolute pressure gauge. The illustration shows a manifold pressure gauge, with a readout that ranges from 10 “Hg to 35 “Hg. Remember that 29.92 “Hg is standard day atmospheric.
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