View Full Version : Airline QFE Operations
galaxy flyer
16th Jan 2007, 01:26
Having just completed my third trip to Mother Russia in two weeks, I was wondering how the airlines handle QFE operations. Once one wraps the brain around the concept and meters, it really goes quite smoothly. If you insist on converting all the numbers to feet and QNH, the chance for a cock-up grows. So what do the major operators do??
If your altimeter will not display meters, you really have no choice.
I have been flying to Russia for more than 6 years. I have not heard of any of our crews making an error converting to meters. There is a cadence that we all follow, and it works great.
Concerning QNH, the ACARS METAR report comes with QNH, and all of the Jeppesen plates advise that QNH is available on request (the Jeppesen plates work well with either QNH or QFE). We request it, and they provide it. If it doesn't match up with the ACARS METAR QNH, we request it again.
On that note, I have been very happy with Russia's ATC services in the regions I fly.
dolly737
16th Jan 2007, 07:43
We use feet and QNH, if only QFE is provided (only happened once), we convert it to QNH. Haven't had any problems with it yet. Our terminal charts show conversion tables without reference to altimeter, the approach charts show meters QFE -> feet QNH with a note on how many hPa to add to QFE to obtain QNH.
galaxy flyer
16th Jan 2007, 15:58
I was really trying to find out what most airlines and others use in Russia. The Global Express has metric altitudes displayed with a selection. We use QFE, in regions where it is the standard, rather than trying to convert the controller's height assignments into QNH altitudes. In other words, we just go over to QFE, but I wonder what others do.
I agree Russian ATC is very good and never had a problem.
GF
Sniff
16th Jan 2007, 16:11
We have conversion charts - Meters QFE to feet QNH. If we went to QFE then we would have to inhibit the EGPWS. This is because the EGPWS assumes the Altimeter reads feet AMSL (except the 777 boys-they don't have this problem). These charts are printed for each destination and alternate.
galaxy flyer
16th Jan 2007, 16:54
Sniff:
We have to inhibit the EGPWS, but it not directly because of QFE, but because Russia is non-WGS-84. I believe we can do QFE and EGPWS, IF it is in WGS-84. This last trip, the captain hadn't been there much and US crews seem to have real difficulty handling metric measures, which adds to the confusion.
GF
hedgehog-in-fog
17th Jan 2007, 09:56
Hi
Flying Airbus in Russia< we have conversion tables for FL in the cockpit.
Otherwise you'll be very busy calculating the numbers.
On appr we use QNH and it goes OK
:)
topper28
17th Jan 2007, 23:32
Hi
Flying Airbus in Russia< we have conversion tables for FL in the cockpit.
Otherwise you'll be very busy calculating the numbers.
On appr we use QNH and it goes OK
:)
If you don't have the special pin program on the FMGC for the QFE the A320 should always use QNH