Which of the following are the pitot-static instruments on the Boeing 737?

• A. Airspeed Indicator; Vertical Speed Indicator; Altimeter
• B. Airspeed Indicator; Attitude Indicator; Altimeter
• C. Altimeter; Heading Indicator; VSI
• D. Airspeed Indicator; Altimeter; Magnetic Compass

Answer: (A)

The pitot-static system provides the pressure signals used by three instruments: the airspeed indicator, the altimeter, and the vertical speed indicator. The airspeed indicator measures dynamic pressure from the pitot tube in relation to the static pressure to show how fast the aircraft is moving through the air. The altimeter and the vertical speed indicator rely on static pressure: the altimeter uses ambient static pressure to display altitude, while the vertical speed indicator shows the rate of climb or descent based on how quickly that static pressure changes. Instruments like the attitude indicator and heading indicator use gyroscopes, not pitot-static pressures, and the magnetic compass relies on Earth's magnetic field. So the correct trio for pitot-static instruments on the Boeing 737 is the airspeed indicator, the altimeter, and the vertical speed indicator.