Altimeter

[geoffreywh]

I was just reading about an Electronic Altimeter that will give readings of Above Sea Level and Above Ground Level. Plus a Barometer...Digitally of course. Updated every 2 seconds. Would that be a useful thing to have ?

 

 

[facthunter]

Not " legally" useful at the moment. You could have it as an interest. Your GPS gives you this type of information (perhaps not so accurately). The old Barometric system based on a standard atmosphere model is uniformally used and everyone is supposed to use the same reference to fly levels and maintain separation. A radio altimeter did the same thing but usually only a small range of height registers which is useful for approaches, mainly. Nev

 

 

[fly_tornado]

great if you like flying low

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I was just reading about an Electronic Altimeter that will give readings of Above Sea Level and Above Ground Level. Plus a Barometer...Digitally of course. Updated every 2 seconds. Would that be a useful thing to have ?

Sounds pretty good as it gives both barometric altitude and height above ground. As with all things electronic a backup system would be good.

 

 

[Yenn]

You already have the backup! Why bother?

 

 

[facthunter]

The coloured heights in the GPS database are probably more useful. You then know how high the terrain is in front of you. Nev

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

My Aera 500 backup GPS . Just put a finger on the spot, it instantly gives you the ground level at that point.

 

Found it useful when the altimeter hands dropped to 6 o'clock on a cross country trip a while ago.

 

PHIL.

 

 

[Roundsounds]

Like Nev says, everyone else will be using a pressure sensitive (barometric) altimeter. For VFR operations that's all you need, too many gadgets can provide too much information and become a distraction.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Since we are limited to VFR, looking out is good. One of the things they sometimes do to test glider pilots around here is to cover the altimeter and see how the front-seat guy goes. Of course the instructor in the back seat has an uncovered altimeter.

 

It is mainly for airspace reasons we need any accuracy in altitude under these VFR conditions.

 

Pity this covering up trick is not easy to do in side-by side planes like the Jabiru.

 

 

[facthunter]

If you have to outland unplanned you don't know the actual height of the terrain. Being able to judge circuit height visually has to be an advantage like all skills. Nev

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Yes Nev, I remember this guy who was "thermalling" near Kapunda (500 ft higher than Gawler) using his altimeter to judge his height, forgetting about this change in elevation.

 

Then a fence appeared on front of him. Well at least he walked away from the "landing".

 

 

[Pearo]

Given the above mentioned device shows barometric pressure one would assume its using pressure sensors to obtain alt rather than other methods such as GPS?