When is indicated altitude the same as true altitude

Expressed in "feet AGL" above ground level , you can also find many obstacles and airspace classifications that exist in feet above the ground. A radar altimeter or radio altimeter measures altitude above the terrain presently beneath an aircraft by timing how long it takes a beam of radio waves to reflect from the ground and return to the plane.

Radar altimeters generally give readings up to 2, feet AGL. Why do we fly with Bose headsets? Because they're light, comfortable, and quiet. Learn more and read the reviews here. Become a better pilot. Subscribe to the Boldmethod email and get real-world flying tips and information direct to your inbox, every week. To: Separate email addresses with commas. Now What?

Viewed 47k times. I don't understand where my mistake is. Improve this question. DeltaLima If you are over water, a radar altimeter might give you the most accurate reading a reasonable approximation of absolute altitude.

A GPS might come close, but will likely be off no matter where you are, for lots of reasons. You will need a clarified question, or more data. The question is clear, and very answerable. That would be needed to evaluate this problem on a flight computer. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes.

Improve this answer. J Walters J Walters I have noticed some people using Indicated altitude by default and then others use PA by default. So which one is correct? It is determined by first finding pressure altitude, then correcting this altitude for nonstandard temperature variations. Density altitude is affected by altitude, temperature and humidity, all of which play a role in aircraft performance. We hope this helps clarify some of the confusion about the five different types of altitude.

If you need more practice or clarification, feel free to reach out to your CHI Aerospace flight instructor. CHI Aerospace. Five Types of Altitude. Recent Posts See All. Pass Your Checkride With Confidence! FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides. Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.

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