Originally Posted by
underfire
face it, they were landing...DAMN UAL 863 is a 789 at about 56' tall, PAL 115 is an A343 at 57' tall
Whoever said they are on the taxiway was not kidding!
Can someone help me (sorry if I missed it) with what the altitude readings such as FlightAware and other reports on this incident really indicate? I realize that such programs are not exact.
- Sea level altitude? corrected?
- What specific point of the aircraft is being measured? Pilots eye? Black box? belly of the aircraft from radar altitude? Where on the belly?
I am just trying to visualize how a reported altitude such as 106' means in real terms, as the dangly bits on the aircraft may be quite a bit lower than recorded altitude, especially at higher angles of attack. And if it is sea level, factor in the tide, runway/taxiway height....
Thank you.