Aircraft General

Knowledge
Session 21
Aircraft Basic Flight Instruments
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter
INSTRUMENTS

▪ The altimeter is an instrument

that measures the height of an
aircraft above a given pressure
level.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS
▪ Since the altimeter is the only
instrument that is capable of
indicating altitude, this is one
of the most vital instruments
installed in the aircraft.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS
▪ To use the altimeter effectively,
the pilot must understand the
operation of the instrument, as
well as the errors associated
with the altimeter and how
each affect the indication.
Aircraft Flight Instruments
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS
The pressure altimeter is
an aneroid barometer
that measures the
pressure of the
atmosphere at the level
where the altimeter is
located and presents an
altitude indication in feet.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS

The altimeter uses

static pressure as its
source of operation.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Principle of Operation
INSTRUMENTS
▪ Air is denser at sea level than
aloft—as altitude increases,
atmospheric pressure
decreases. This difference in
pressure at various levels
causes the altimeter to
indicate changes in altitude.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Principle of Operation
INSTRUMENTS
▪ A simple pressure altimeter is
designed to measure static air
pressure, which it relates to an
indicated altitude.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Principle of Operation
INSTRUMENTS
▪ As the aircraft ascends, the static
pressure in the instrument case
decreases, which allows the
enclosed capsule to expand, and
this in turn moves the needle on
the instrument face to indicate a
corresponding altitude.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Principle of Operation
INSTRUMENTS
▪ For a descent, the opposite
function applies.
▪ A subscale setting device is
included so that the
instrument can be zeroed to
various datum elevations
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Principle of Operation
INSTRUMENTS ▪ The altimeter capsule is
calibrated to full international
standard atmosphere (lSA) mean
sea level (MSL) conditions, i.e.,
• + 15 o C,
• 29.92 in/1013 millibars, and
• 1225 g/m3.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Indications
INSTRUMENTS ▪ The long, thin needle with the
inverted triangle at the end
indicates tens of thousands of feet
▪ The short, wide needle indicates
thousands of feet
▪ The long needle on top indicates
hundreds of feet.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Indications
INSTRUMENTS
▪ The Kollsman window is located
at the 3 o’clock position on the
altimeter dial.
▪ This window allows access to
read a sub-dial, which contains
the barometric readings.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Indications
INSTRUMENTS
▪ The arrowhead indice located
precisely at the 3 o’clock position
on the altimeter’s main dial is
used as the reference point for
reading the barometric sub-dial
▪ A rotating knob is used to set
the pressure setting
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Indications
INSTRUMENTS ▪ The “Barber Pole” on the face of the
altimeter is visible only when the
altitude is above sea level.
▪ When the altitude is below sea level
the barber pole is no longer visible.
▪ This is provided to avoid the error of
reading –1,000 Ft. as being +10,000
Ft.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Subscale Settings
INSTRUMENTS
▪ QNH
▪ QNH is a local altimeter setting
that makes the altimeter
indicate the aircraft's altitude
above mean sea level (AMSL)
and therefore airfield
elevation.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Subscale Settings
INSTRUMENTS
▪ QFE
▪ This zeros the altimeter on the
airfield elevation datum
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Subscale Settings
INSTRUMENTS ▪ QNE. This is not an altimeter setting
but is the height shown at touchdown
on the altimeter with 29.92 in or 1013
millibars (hPa) set on the subscale.
▪ It is used at very high aerodromes
where QFE pressure is so low that it
cannot be set on the altimeter
subscale.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Subscale Settings
INSTRUMENTS ▪ Standard Setting.
▪ 29.92 in or 1013 hPa millibars
standard setting will give
altimeter readings as a pressure
altitude or flight level and is used
for traffic controlled airspace
above the transition layer.
Aircraft Flight Instruments
Aircraft Flight Instruments
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT 1. Instrument error
INSTRUMENTS 2. Pressure error (also known as
position or configuration error)
3. Time-lag error
Altimeter 4. Barometric error
Errors 5. Temperature/density error
6. Blocked static port
Aircraft Flight Instruments
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Errors
INSTRUMENTS
▪ If altimeters could not be
Effects of nonstandard adjusted for nonstandard
temperature on an altimeter pressure, a hazardous situation
could occur.
 Aircraft Flight Instruments
WORKING SYSTEMS
OF FLIGHT Altimeter Errors
INSTRUMENTS ▪ For example, if an aircraft is flown
Effects of nonstandard from a high pressure area to a low
temperature on an altimeter pressure area without adjusting
the altimeter, a constant altitude
will be displayed, but the actual
height of the aircraft above the
ground would be lower then the
indicated altitude
Aircraft Flight Instruments

Effects of nonstandard temperature

on an altimeter
QUESTIONS ?