How do I go up?

[Touch'n'oops]

When cleared to a flight level at what point should I be selecting 1013 on the altimeter?

So far, I have I had lots of different answers from flight instructors at my school!

So I am really asking the lads who do this everyday (preferribly in the legal way!)

[beamer]

At least you did'nt ask 'How do I go down.......!'

Flippancy aside - in my company (Boeing/Bus) we set 1013 when
cleared in the climb to a flight level - altimeter check at that point and standby altimeter remaining on departure QNH until 10,000ft.
QFE of course belongs to the dark ages and has almost universally been left to basic flying schools and PPL's who seem to like it. Do the RAF still use QFE I wonder - they seemed to change their minds every month in the late 80's - early 90's ?

In the descent we change from 1013 to QNH when cleared to an altitude - standby altimeter set to QNH in cruise when ATIS or Volmet received for arrival airfield. Slightly different procedures in US/Canada but we'll leave that to another day..............

[Jerricho]

(Slight topic drift)

As an aside to what you say about QFE, Beamer, I had a medical flight a couple of weeks ago (into LHR) who requested the QFE. First time ever I have had to give it!

[hptaccv]

hmm...

PF sets QNH when cleared to a flight level, PNF when passing transition altitude

[Send Clowns]

For single-crew operation:

In principle it depends how many altimeters you have. The pilot's altimeter should go onto 1013 for climb reference, the second altimeter should remain on QNH / RPS as appropriate. With two altimeters the first is for aircraft separation (so 1013) the second for terrain separation (so should remain on a sea-level pressure).

If you have only one I would suggest in the climb to change to 1013 when clear of the terrain, at transition altitude at he latest. In principle if your climb is correctly calculated it doesn't matter if you set 1013 as soon as a clearance is given to a flight level, though. You should clear all terrain.

[scroggs]

SOPs vary in different companies (or schools) and different countries. In the RAF I was always taught that all altimeters (other than radar or radio) should be on the same pressure setting. That setting should be Standard (1013mb/29.92") above Transition Altitude, and QNH or QFE below Transition Level. In an IFR climb when cleared to a Flight Level, the altimeters could be set to Standard once above the local Minimum Safe Altitude, and must be set by TA. In an IFR descent, equally, the altimeters could be set to QNH when cleared to an altitude, and must be set by TL. QFE, as I remember - it's been a long time since I used it, should only be set within the ATZ of the relevent airfield.

In many countries, and when flying VFR in UK, the altimeter setting should normally be changed from or to Standard only when climbing or descending through Transition Altitude or Level; in the USA, for example, that is 18,000ft on the local 'altimeter' (QNH).

[GlueBall]

The answer is that you have to check your aeronautical approach/area and en route charts.
On Jeppesen Approach charts the Transition Level (Descending) and Transition Altitude (Climbing) are depicted as specified by the respective controlling authorities.
If T/L is FL090 then you would set QNH after leaving or passing that level. (At F/L 090 you would still operate at QNE). Sometimes it may say: "Transition Level By ATC," which means that when the controller descents you to an "Altitude" ("descent to 9000 Feet") instead of a "Flight Level" ("descent to Flight Level 090") you would reset your altimeter to QNH before reaching your newly assigned "altitude."

The opposite when climbing. If the Transition Altitude is 9000 feet, then you would reset your altimeter to QNE (29.92/1013) when passing 9000 feet. (At 9000 feet you would still operate at QNH).