It is better than nothing, but the speed through the air is the most critical parameter for an airplane, and GPS measures speed over the ground. If a sensor go

It is better than nothing, but the speed through the air is the most critical parameter for an airplane, and GPS measures speed over the ground. If a sensor goes out, the computer could assume that the wind is constant, and display an estimated airspeed, but the probe in this case iced over, in this case because of a thunderstorm. The wind is all over the place in a thunderstorm, and it wouldn't be very useful.