RVSM altimeter check on Climb

[lion-g]

Hi Guys,
This was brought up over beer talk and has been bothering me ever since.

In accordance to JAA TGL 6 :-

Before entering RVSM airspace, the initial altimeter cross check of primary and
standby altimeters should be recorded
Note: Some systems may make use of automatic altimeter comparators.

The way I look at it, we need to check the altimeters even on a Climb, passing FL290, on entry into RVSM. However, the arguement is, how to acertain the accurancy when the altimeters reading keep changing.

Any comments ?

[OBK!]

I think you'd need to be doing a hell of a climb not to pick up a 200ft difference between two ticking altimeters...? We're paid quite an amount to work this one out!

How do you cross check increasing ASIs at 80kts on takeoff?

Hope you didn't loose too much sleep.

[bucket_and_spade]

'Passing flight level (for example) one eight zero…now.' said by one guy as the other looks at his altimeter. SOP in our outfit. Very straightforward!

[172_driver]

Before entering RVSM could surely be on the previous flight, right? :}
We do it while level in CRZ..

Must be one of those things that's up for negotiation with local CAA?

[Willit Run]

I'm thinking you just need to drink more beer!

[A and C]

On a modern aircraft to have a formal RVSM check of the altimeters is a bit of a joke and just playing to the black art brigade.

The altimeters are being monitored by the comparison system since the time the electrics are up and running so the check before entering RVSM airspace is only a back up of what the aircraft is doing hundreds of times each second.

The only thing you might pick up on this check that the aircraft won't tell you is that the standby altimeter is suspect, I would suggest that if you are having to rely solely on the standby altimeter RVSM compliance will be a long way down your list of priorities.

My guess is the last flying job guy who first mandated the check had was as a navigator on the Handley Page Hastings.

[Stalker_]

Standby Altimeter has nothing to do with RVSM nor is it a requirement of RVSM

[cosmo kramer]

Before entering RVSM airspace...

before... the altimeters are checked already before startup.

[A and C]

Well done, you know the rules, but you you fail to understand what I am saying !

[VinRouge]

More important to pick up a mis-set or split sub scale passed transition.

[oceancrosser]

My guess is the last flying job guy who first mandated the check had was as a navigator on the Handley Page Hastings.

You might well be right! :ugh:

[Capn Bloggs]

Standby Altimeter has nothing to do with RVSM nor is it a requirement of RVSM
So what? Nobody said it did have anything to do with RVSM. :=

[lion-g]

Hi Guys,

Thanks a lot for your time in explaining.

I will still continue to do my checks as practical as I can.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate then Administrate.

Have a great week.

[Rubber Dog]

I flew for a European airline at the beginning of the year that required this in the climb. I too thought "How the heck do you catch those fast moving numbers?" A colleague showed me how to record them instantaneously through the MCDU systems. So I used to press the button as the Sby passed a memorable number thus enabling me to compare all three. If that's what they want then that's what they get!!

[A and C]

Trying to catch the fast moving numbers is one of the most pointless things I can think of, I can understand the crew having to do a comparison check before entering RVSM airspace only because the regulations ( written for the dark ages) require it but recording this fast moving value is subject to so much chance of error the data is at best unreliable and at worst very misleading.

Only data recorded in the cruise is any good and this only for trend monitoring of the altimeter systems.

[TheChitterneFlyer]

Whatever happened to checking the Flight Instruments prior to flight? Oh yes, let me see, there's obviously a 99.9% chance that your world has fallen apart since you departed the ramp and you hadn't noticed!

Total crap! I suspect your training department has to dream-up all manner of ****e to justify their climb up the management ladder.