QNE - What is it?
 

I have two (reasonably reliable) different definitions of QNE and was wondering if anyone knows the definitive answer.

The first states that is is 1013.2 - the standard pressure setting, used above TA.

The second states that is is the height indicated with the standard pressure setting set - used for approaches when landing on very high airfields (La Paz type heights!) where the local QFE would be off the clock of most altimeters.

Anyone know which is correct - I am tempted to think that it actually the latter but that the former has crept into common use to supply a Q-Code to SPS.

Thanks in anticipation.

CJ

A QNE on an altimeter is (your choice) - when the Kollsman window is set at -
1013.2 hPa (mB), or
29.92 inches Hg, (in USA and Canada) or
760 mm Hg (old metric altimeters)
xxx
:)
Happy contrails

I'm convinced it's what your altimeter would read at the threshold if 1013 was set.

So it would be in feet, rather than QNE xxxx mb.

Oh, and I have no idea why it would be used! QNH would surely be the best option? Maybe it's when QNH is too high/low to be displayed on a standard instrument.

Correct! You win tonights star prize! Most altimeters only operate between 950 and 1050Hpa.

BD

I've always understood it to be as indicated in BOAC's link, i.e. What indication will my altimeter give on landing at ... (place) at ... hours, my sub-scale being set to 1013.2 millibars (29.92 inches)? or On landing at ... (place) at ... hours, with your sub-scale being set to 1013.2 millibars (29.92 inches), your altimeter will indicate ... (figures and units).

But as CJ suggests, I suspect too suspect that QNE has become commonly used to represent SPS - I have heard it used in that way a good number of times.

As far as I have seen, no altimeter has a setting pointer painted in at standard - I cannot see why this should not be done - it would make setting & checking that little bit easier and reliable. It could be a little "dayglo" arrowhead.

Plenty of accidents traced in part to wrong altimeter settings, I think.