Final answer:
The pitot-static system provides the atmospheric pressure necessary for operating aircraft instruments such as the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator, based on Pascal's principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pitot-static system provides the source of atmospheric air pressure for the operation of aircraft instrumentation, particularly the airspeed indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator. These instruments utilize Pascal's principle, which ensures the undiminished transmission of pressure through a fluid, allowing for precise remote sensing of pressures without the need to insert a device directly into the system being measured. This concept is similarly applied in other pressure measuring devices like tire gauges and blood pressure cuffs.
By understanding the mechanics of mechanical pressure gauges, such as the aneroid gauge that uses flexible bellows linked to an indicator, and manometers that measure differences in fluid column heights responding to pressure, students can grasp the functional principles behind the pitot-static system and its essential role in aviation.