Transition altitude
 

On my way up to Edinburgh on Friday night, I stopped in at Teesside for fuel. Leaving Teesside, I was cleared SVFR not above 2000 to the edge of their zone then given an RAS and the QNH. I climbed towards 4500ft, then set 1013 and adjusted to FL45 on the basis that, as it was night, I was IFR so should be flying quadrantal rules above 3000ft. On handover to Newcastle, I got given another QNH but, presumably because they weren't too busy, no particular route or height was specified. So I adjusted to 4500ft and transited Newcastle at that height.

Being passed QNH's confused me. I'm guessing its because the transition altitude at Newcastle is higher than 3000ft. How do I find out what the transition altitude is? Was I right to fly an altitude just because they gave me a QNH?

Transition Altitude at Teesside and Newcastle is 6000 ft. Its stated in the Aerodrome data within the AIP. See EGNT AD 2.17 for example.

R

ENR 1.7 Altimeter Setting explains it even better, listing all airfields with Transition Alt above 3000ft.

So climbing to a FL before Newcastle, switching to an altitude while in Newcastle CTR and going back to a FL afterwards was right then? Is this what people do in practice?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, its one of those confusing points that comes from training where the transition altitude is 18,000 so can be safely ignored.

Thanks for that link!

It's a reet pain in France - the TA seems to vary all over the place, and there's nothing in any of the flight guides or charts that I have.

I've nagged Bottlang about it, pointing out that it's information that any pilot flying in France needs, and my one-stop source for all that is Bottlang.

They promised to "look into it".

It is what you should do. ATC can help though by doing the maths for you and thereby not giving you any huge level changes, especially when the pressure is a lot higher / lower than 1013.

Thanks Chilli Monster

I agree FL, ALT, FL is what you should do in those circumstances, But as you weren't specified a level to fly was there any requirement to adjust to 4500ft??

You should be able to find the Transition Level on the ATIS if you don't know it.

dp

Probably not - I was just trying to stay quadrantal. It seemed the right thing to do since ATC had not specified a deviation from it. Twisted logic maybe - but that's why I am trying to work it out now so I'm clear next time.

Quadrantal levels are only required above the transition altitude, and also only outside controlled aispace. So you can fly across the EGNT CTR at any level you choose, with the appropriate clearance from ATC.

I'd have been tempted to read the alt corresponding to FL45 off the second alt (set to EGNT QNH) and ask to transit at that level. If refused, the solution is straightforward -- do what ATC says!

Not sure that the TA goes on the ATIS in the UK.