Radio Altimeter question

[FE Hoppy]

Originally Posted by megan

Seems the names are interchangeable.

https://www.rockwellcollins.com/site...Altimeter.aspx

http://www51.honeywell.com/aero/comm..._Altimeter.pdf

I was in a meeting about ten years ago where the head of the Joint OEB told the manufacturer to go away and take his manuals with him and don't come back until they were amended to Radio Altimeter.

They were Honeywell units ;-)

[Snakecharma]

Talk about pole vaulting over mouse ****!

Who gives a flying crap whether they are called radar altimeters or radio altimeters!

And I thought I was a pedant.

[aterpster]

Snakecharma:

Who gives a flying crap whether they are called radar altimeters or radio altimeters!

RA means both except for the exceptionally anal retentive folks in this business.

[Snakecharma]

Aterpster, that's what I would have thought. I was amazed that the discussion about the "correct" nomenclature took place at all, let alone grew the legs that it seemed to.

Maybe I am just getting old

[megan]

I was amazed that the discussion about the pedant conversation took place at all, let alone grew the legs that it seemed to. And I am old.

[NSEU]

Originally Posted by Chu chu

A wide cone doesn't seem like it would normally be a problem

I understand your point, but if the cone is too wide, it will start reflecting your own landing gear or low slung engines.
If I remember correctly, the Rad Alts on the 747SP were only a few feet behind the gear.

[Tourist]

In aircraft that use Radalt for height holding, the signal is smoothed to avoid bumps causing aggressive height changes.