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Old 11th November 2003 | 19:13
  #26 (permalink)  
Wot No Engines
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 80
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From: somewhere underneath 3rd rock
Having learnt to fly gliders in the UK, the norm was to set QFE and leave it - a gap in basic training which never really covered x/c flying. I generally flew on QFE as this is what I was used to. This was most useful at the top of a winch launch in guiding me to how long I had to find a thermal.

Flying x/c, I noted the offset above or below for both QNE and QNH - I still used QFE for the reason above. The rest of the time, I then generally ignored it except for avoiding airspace. The only other key information I wanted was in calculating a final glide - always to the starting field, so QFE is best - pressure is generally stable when a thermal x/c can be flown. I do this to double check the electrics that base the final glide on GPS altitude - no idea what this is based on, but as long as I calibrate by giving field elevation of start field, I seem to get reliable results.

Having moved to Oz, I now am basically forced to use QNH - I can't set QFE on any altimiter I have used here yet as the field is too high (2200') - not a problem in the UK - highest field I flew from was about 1000', but it is here and is in the US. This is probably the main reason for the difference.

As to having 2 altimiters, for the UK, I would set 1 to QNH and 1 to 1013 and leave them.

In Oz, if my understanding is correct, both would have to be set to QNH until transition at 10,000', when 1013 has to be set.
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