Lesson 08
The Altimeter
Altimeter Errors
Altimeter Definitions
Altimeter Settings
The Altimeter
If the air is cooler than ISA then the density altitude will
be less than the pressure altitude.
Altimeter Definitions (3)
True Altitude: is the exact vertical distance
above Mean Sea Level (MSL).
QFE
QFF
QNH
Regional QNH
Standard Pressure Setting
QNE
QFE
Is a pressure setting which when
set on the sub-scale of an altimeter
will cause it to read zero at the
airfield elevation.
An airfield may have a touchdown
QFE if there is a difference in
height of 2m (7ft) or more between
aerodrome reference and runway
threshold.
QFF
Is the local station barometric
pressure adjusted to mean sea
level assuming an isothermal
column of air at station
temperature
It is expressed to one decimal
point.
QNH
Is a pressure setting which when
set on an altimeter sub-scale will
cause it to read the airfield
elevation above mean sea level.
ISA conditions are assumed for the
air column
It is always expressed in integer
values.
QFF v QNH
ABOVE BELOW
MSL MSL
Warmer
QFF < QNH QFF > QNH
than ISA
Cooler
QFF > QNH QFF < QNH
than ISA
Regional QNH
Is the lowest forecast QNH for
a period of one hour for a
designated region
Standard Pressure Setting
is defined as 1013.25 mb.
When flying with standard pressure
set on the subscale the vertical
position of the aircraft is referred to
as its flight level.
QNE
Is the height indicted on an altimeter
with 1013 mb set on the subscale.
FL100
WARM COLD