Originally Posted by WR
Another thing I noticed was the speed at which the pressure changed on journey. I only went for a half-hour flight but ATIS reported QNH of 1012, by the time we took off it was 1007, at right base it was 1002 and, finally, it was given as 1001 when we landed. Oh well, snow's predicted for tonight.
The difference in pressure is probably a mix up between QNH (mean sea level pressure) and QFE (airfield elevation pressure). It seems that either the 1011 or the 1007 figures you've misheard - (1007 and 1011 sound similar over the RT). Let us say that the airfield elevation pressue is 1002 and the msl is 1011, then the difference is 9 millibar. Pressue decreases by 1mb per 30 feet and therefore the airfield elevation would be about 270 feet.
I then checked your profile and found you live in Newcastle - the airfield elevation of which is ... 266 feet! So I guess that's where your flight took place.
Some may have been QFE and some QNH (I think I did hear both). You might be right about the 1007 being 11 -- I was struggling to hear the radio and the ATIS report was the only I heard clearly (and the instructor wrote the information down as it came in).