What exactly IS a heated probe? What purpose does it serve?
Well, the air temperature up at cruise is well below 0 degrees C. The probes (pitot/static/TAT, etc.) are all heated to keep them clog (from ice and other stuff) free, so they can do their job without interruption. But most planes have them-the Pipers and Cessnas I’ve flown have them, for the same reason. But most of the jets have their probe heat on almost continuously, versus “as needed” in the smaller planes. RJs don’t come with whitewalls…
