On the ground, with at least one generator on, what is the automatic heating intensity for Pitot Tubes?

• A. Full
• B. Half
• C. Quarter
• D. Off

Answer: (B)

Pitot tubes are susceptible to icing, which can distort airspeed indications. The heating system protects these sensors, and its automatic intensity adjusts based on phase of flight and power availability. On the ground with at least one generator supplying power, the automatic setting uses half power. This provides enough heat to prevent ice buildup while avoiding unnecessary electrical load and potential overheating since there’s little airflow when the aircraft is stationary. In flight, heating typically increases (often to full) to protect the sensors in icing conditions when air is flowing over the pitots. Turning heating off would risk ice; using full heat on the ground would waste power; quarter heat wouldn’t reliably prevent icing. Therefore, half is the correct automatic setting in this scenario.