Transition from Feet to Meters

[Controller to be!!!]

Hello All,

I was wondering if any pilot on here can explain how a flight transfers from feet to meters enroute?

For example going into Russia, is there a area where all aircraft climb/descend into meters?

Thanks a lot

CTB!!!

[Noddy Staltern]

Transfer from feet to meters is treated the same as any other flight level change. Entering Russia, or some of the airspace around Russia, you are told to climb/descend to a new level. We carry a set of conversion tables giving the Metric flight levels and their Imperial equivalent. I don't have the tables to hand, but levels are reported as, for example, "Flight Level Ten thousand nine hundred meters". Relatively painless, but a bit verbose (and an independant check is required to verify the conversion figure).

[Controller to be!!!]

Thanks a lot

CTB!!!

[Dan Winterland]

747-400s and 777s have a button on the EFIS control panel. Press it, meters equivalents appear above the height readouts on the Primary Flying Displays.

[Capt Claret]

Of the multitude of aviation related questions that popped into my mind when I commenced flying some 20 years ago, the only one left unanswered is:

Why is aviation not standardised with regard to 'weights & measures'?

Altitude in feet & metres, VMC cloud separation in feet & metres, fuel brought and used in IMP gallons, U.S. gallons, litres, pounds & kilogrammes!

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bottums up !