Pressure Setting Question
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: England
Pressure Setting Question
GBBPY DEPARTS AIRFIELD A AND FLYS TO AIRFIELD B. ON ROUTE THE RADIO FAILS SO THAT NO PRESSURE SETTINGS CAN BE OBTAINED. AIRFIELD A IS 600FT AMSL, AND WITH THE SUBSCALE 1020mbs SET (QNH) THE ALTIMETER READS 600FT.
THE QNH AT AIRFIELD B IS 998mbs. AND AIRFIELD B IS 300FT AMSL. THE FLIGHT IS CARRIED OUT VFR. ON ARRIVAL AT AIRFIELD B WHAT WILL THE ALTIMETER HANDS READ?
This has confused lots of people, i have a large variety of answers from different people! What is the answer
THE QNH AT AIRFIELD B IS 998mbs. AND AIRFIELD B IS 300FT AMSL. THE FLIGHT IS CARRIED OUT VFR. ON ARRIVAL AT AIRFIELD B WHAT WILL THE ALTIMETER HANDS READ?
This has confused lots of people, i have a large variety of answers from different people! What is the answer
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,729
Likes: 0
From: 75N 16E
1260 feet?
600' = 1020mb there is a drop in pressure of 22mb which equals a height of +660' [1mb change ~ 30'] so 600+660 = 1260....Assuming a lot of assumptions of course, like ISA temps and the like.
EA
Edited becasue I thought I made a major balls up. But in hind sight the 300' AMSL of airfield B is a red herring, all you need is the pressure settings as far as I can see....
600' = 1020mb there is a drop in pressure of 22mb which equals a height of +660' [1mb change ~ 30'] so 600+660 = 1260....Assuming a lot of assumptions of course, like ISA temps and the like.
EA
Edited becasue I thought I made a major balls up. But in hind sight the 300' AMSL of airfield B is a red herring, all you need is the pressure settings as far as I can see....
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
I'll jump in with both feet.......
Assuming 30 feet per millibar.
QNH at 'A' is 1020
QNH at 'B' 998, so that's 22 Millibars less which would translate into an overread of 660 feet if both airfields were at same height. Altimeter would therefore read 1260 feet.
But 'B' is 300 feet lower than 'A', so the sltimeter would actually read 960 feet on arrival at 'B'.
SSD
Assuming 30 feet per millibar.
QNH at 'A' is 1020
QNH at 'B' 998, so that's 22 Millibars less which would translate into an overread of 660 feet if both airfields were at same height. Altimeter would therefore read 1260 feet.
But 'B' is 300 feet lower than 'A', so the sltimeter would actually read 960 feet on arrival at 'B'.
SSD
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: UK
Presuming 30ft/mb, I get 960ft. At airfield A with 1020 set, sea level would be displayed as 0ft. At B if you had 1020 set then the altimeter would read 0ft at 660ft below sea level (1020-998=22 *30 = 660, high to low, down you go). the airfield is 300 ft further up giving a reading of 960ft.
What's the prize?
D
SSD obviously types faster than me and works top down, not bottom up!
What's the prize?
D
SSD obviously types faster than me and works top down, not bottom up!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
From: Earth
Assuming the rule of 30 feet = 1 mb and no pressure change over the distance, the altimeter would read 300 feet.
If, as you say, the QNH at B is 998 there has therefore been a pressure drop over the flight of 12 mb (equivalent to 360 feet) allowing for the difference in height AMSL of both airfields.
Therefore, on arrival at B (having not twiddled with the altimeter knob on route) the altimeter would read 60 feet.
The pressure drop over the flight is 12 mb (equivalent to 360 feet). Airfield B is 300 feet lower than A (360-300 = 60).
I stand to be corrected and have opened myself up for some serious flak on this one
If, as you say, the QNH at B is 998 there has therefore been a pressure drop over the flight of 12 mb (equivalent to 360 feet) allowing for the difference in height AMSL of both airfields.
Therefore, on arrival at B (having not twiddled with the altimeter knob on route) the altimeter would read 60 feet.
The pressure drop over the flight is 12 mb (equivalent to 360 feet). Airfield B is 300 feet lower than A (360-300 = 60).
I stand to be corrected and have opened myself up for some serious flak on this one
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: UK
englishal, the datumn you have used for the starting point of your calculation is 600'. If you ignore the 300' of airfield B then you appear to be assuming your new postion is still 600' actual. It would be a long drop when you step out of the aircraft 
All this assumes that when the question says 'arrives' it means lands.
D
All this assumes that when the question says 'arrives' it means lands.
D
Why do it if it's not fun?
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,782
Likes: 12
From: Bournemouth
I don't understand why there's so much confusion. All you need to do is understand the question, and get rid of the red herring information. Who cares that the flight is VFR, or what the elevation was at an airfield you left some time ago?
What it boils down to is this:
As others have said, (1020-998) * 30 = 660', so you will over-read by 660'. Answer: 960'. The prize goes to Dufwer.
FFF
--------------
What it boils down to is this:
You are at an eleveation of 300'. The QNH is 998mb. The altimeter sub-scale is set to 1020mb. What does the altimeter read
FFF
--------------
ok, amend my answer to read 960'Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
FFF said:
As others have said, (1020-998) * 30 = 660', so you will over-read by 660'. Answer: 960'. The prize goes to Dufwer.
I was first, FFF. Assuming 960 is correct, I claim the bottle of bubbly - but I'll spray some all over Dufwer if you like, F1 style ;~))
SSD
As others have said, (1020-998) * 30 = 660', so you will over-read by 660'. Answer: 960'. The prize goes to Dufwer.
I was first, FFF. Assuming 960 is correct, I claim the bottle of bubbly - but I'll spray some all over Dufwer if you like, F1 style ;~))
SSD
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: NZ
Left A in a light aircraft to fly to B . Flight time at a guess of about an hour. Pressure drop of 12 mb, very very nasty storm, (that is why the radio failed),, don't care about the height of B just pleasd to be on the ground
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 0
From: Earth
Hmm........I take my hat off to Triple S and Triple F. Whilst you liberally spray your champagne I shall be twiddling with my sub-scale knob in the hangar!!
Can someone explain the "high to low-down you go" theory to me, it sounds like I need to learn it.
On the subject of sub-scale settings is it a REQUIREMENT to apply 1013 above 3000ft in Class G or only advisory? I recently called up a well known military frequency on my return from Cornwall and told them I was at FL50 and they asked me to fly on the Portland pressure instead. Why would they rather I did that? Is it because lots of people were VFR at that level that day on the Portland?
Can someone explain the "high to low-down you go" theory to me, it sounds like I need to learn it.
On the subject of sub-scale settings is it a REQUIREMENT to apply 1013 above 3000ft in Class G or only advisory? I recently called up a well known military frequency on my return from Cornwall and told them I was at FL50 and they asked me to fly on the Portland pressure instead. Why would they rather I did that? Is it because lots of people were VFR at that level that day on the Portland?
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 724
Likes: 0
From: United Kingdom
High to Low: Down you Go
means that with a pressure fall over the flight, while you maintain the same altitude on a given pressure setting, will lead to a gradual descent as the flight progresses. So if you are approaching hills and a storm is coming, you could be a lot lower than you think if not flying VFR.
means that with a pressure fall over the flight, while you maintain the same altitude on a given pressure setting, will lead to a gradual descent as the flight progresses. So if you are approaching hills and a storm is coming, you could be a lot lower than you think if not flying VFR.
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
I'd heard it as "high to low, look out below". If you fly into a lower pressure area, your altimeter will 'overread' if you don't reset the subscale.
In the example that started this thread, that could make you beleive you are 660 feet higher than you actually are.
SSD
In the example that started this thread, that could make you beleive you are 660 feet higher than you actually are.
SSD
