- Pressure altitude
In
aviation , pressure altitude is the indicated altitude when analtimeter is set to an agreed baseline pressure setting. This setting - 101,325 Pa, equivalent to 1013.25 millibar (or hectopascals), or 29.92 inches Hg - is equivalent to the air pressure at mean sea level (MSL) in the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA). Pressure altitude is primarily used in aircraft performance calculations and in high-altitude flight (above thetransition altitude ). In radio communication, the baseline pressure setting is referred to by the Q code QNE. [cite web
last = Brandon
first = John
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Altitude and altimeters
work =
publisher = Recreational Aviation Australia Inc
date = 2007-04-12
url = http://www.auf.asn.au/groundschool/umodule3.html#altitude
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-10-05]The relationship between static pressure and pressure altitude is defined in terms of the properties of the International Standard Atmosphere. Up to 36,090 ft this can be expressed as:
Where:
*z = pressure altitude (feet)
* = static pressure (kPa)For example:
implification
One simplification of the Pressure Altitude that is a bit more practical to pilots than the above formula is the following:
Where
* Pressure Altitude ( of the previous equation) in feet,
* Physical Altitude above Sea Level in feet,
* Measured or estimated Pressure at the Altitude of interest in inches of mercury (inHg).ee also
*
QNH
*flight level
*density altitude
*Standard conditions for temperature and pressure
*Barometric formula References
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