hopharrigan and others.
We have been around this at length previously and it developed into a point scoring exercise then as now.
The best authoritative explanation which addresses all concerns as well as ATC assigned altitudes and adjustments can be found in Jeppesen - Canada - Air Traffic Control page CA 9-9. At the head of the page calibration of altimeters is addressed.
Further I quote:
1. IFR altitudes may be either accepted or refused.(applies anytime,anywhere). Refusal in this case is based on the pilot's assessment of temperature effect on obstruction clearance.
2. IFR assigned altitudes accepted by a pilot shall not be adjusted to compensate for cold temperatures, ie. if a pilot accepts "maintain 3000" an altitude correction shall not be applied to 3000.
3. Radar vectoring altitudes assigned by ATC are temperature compensated and require no corrective action by pilots.
4. When corrections are applied to a published final approach fix crossing altitude, procedure turn or missed approach altitude, pilots should advise ATC how much of a correction is to be applied.
The page incorporates the table, ATC and Pilot responsibilities and a practical example of using the table.
[This message has been edited by pterodactyl (edited 24 November 1999).]