At high altitude where RAM recovery occurs, what is the inlet pressure compared to ambient pressure?

At high altitudes, the concept of ram recovery refers to the increase in pressure that occurs at the inlet of an aircraft engine due to the aircraft's forward motion. As the aircraft flies through the atmosphere, it compresses the incoming air, which can lead to an increase in pressure at the engine's inlet compared to the ambient atmospheric pressure. This effect is particularly notable during high-speed flight where the ram air effect is significant, allowing the engine to operate more efficiently even in thinner air.

In this context, while the ram recovery does increase the pressure of the air entering the engine, the pressure at the inlet generally stabilizes to be equivalent to the ambient pressure at high altitudes where the dynamic pressure generated by the aircraft's speed matches the static pressure of the ambient air. Therefore, it's accurate to say that at high altitude, the inlet pressure balances out to the same level as the ambient pressure due to these aerodynamic effects.

This understanding underscores the importance of the relationship between velocity, altitude, and the corresponding pressures experienced by the engine, highlighting a critical aspect of turbine performance and operation.