Altimeter Setting Procedures

Basic Concepts

1Introduction.

In order to ensure separation and to make sure that when flying an instrument procedure the
aircraft is actually at or above the procedure design minimum altitude, it is essential that the
aircraft altimeter subscale is correctly set to the appropriate reference pressure.

History is littered with accidents caused by incorrect altimeter setting and despite the best
intentions of the Air Traffic Controllers, the basic responsibility remains with the pilot to ensure
that whatever he/she does with an aircraft, it must be safe.

2Terrain Avoidance.

During instrument departure or arrival procedures the aircraft must be flown according to the
published flight profile. Until the aircraft is at or above a „safe in all cases‟ altitude, the altimeter
must be referenced to mean sea level so that the pilot knows exactly how high the aircraft is.

All obstacles shown on approach and departure plates are referenced to sea level and likewise, all
altitudes required by the procedures are also referenced to sea level. As sea level pressure
(QNH*) varies geographically and the terrain avoidance problem is geographic in nature, the
reference setting must be a local QNH.

*QNH and QFE are arbitrary Q codes rather than abbreviations, but the mnemonics "nautical height" (for QNH) and
"field elevation" (for QFE) are often used by pilots to distinguish between them.

3Lowest Useable Flight Level. This is the flight level that corresponds to or is immediately
above the established minimum flight altitude.

4ATC Separation. Once above the „safe in all cases‟ altitude, the problem ceases to be terrain
avoidance and becomes avoidance of other air traffic. In this case it essential that all aircraft have
at least one altimeter referenced to the same subscale setting so that a standard separation can be
applied regardless of the sea level pressure. According to ICAO ISA (International Standard
Atmosphere (ISA) is a model used for the standardization of aircraft instruments. It was established, with tables of
values over a range of altitudes, to provide a common reference for temperature and pressure.) the average
barometric pressure is 1013.25 hPa and this (when rounded down to 1013 hPa) is defined as the
Standard Pressure Setting (SPS).

Altimeter Setting Objectives

5Objectives. The two main objectives of altimeter setting procedures are to:

•Provide adequate terrain clearance during all phases of flight especially departure and arrival.

•Provide adequate vertical separation between aircraft

6Altimeter Subscale Settings. There are three altimeter subscale settings that can be applied at
any aerodrome. These are:

7Q Nautical Height (QNH)

Generally, QNH is Q nautical height which means indicating altitude at the height above sea
level. Setting on altimeter on the ground, will read the correct elevation above sea level whereby
QNH allows displaying the airfield elevation above mean sea level. For example, if the airport
which at 900 feet above sea level, the altimeter shall read 900 as well.

Further, QNH also a common setting used during take-off and landing whereby used below the
transition level. QNH also known as regional pressure settings because it ensures the aircraft safe
terrain separations when cruising at lower altitudes. QNH is given as a regional pressure setting
and should be updated with new altimeter setting if leave the area of reference into a new QNH
pressure region.

8 Q FIELD ELEVATION ( QFE)

Basically, QFE is Q field elevation which means height above airfield. QFE is setting which gets
altimeter settings until read zero when on the aerodrome elevation. QFE allows reading height
above the runway. For example, during take-off or landing, the QFE reading is “0” when on
ground.

Further, when flying to different airfield or QFE pressure, the particular airfield QFE need to
reset in order to read zero. The QFE In the circuit, the height indicated is the height above
official airfield datum. For example, If your aerodrome elevation is 800 feet, when the QFE is set
on the altimeter, the altimeter should read zero. The thing with QFE is, it changes from
aerodrome to aerodrome.

9 QNE ("En Route")

QNE is a pressure setting of 29.92 inches or 1013 hPa that will produce a standard atmosphere
altitude and provides the basis for flight levels. The term does not appear to be used by the
ICAO, though the concept itself is used to produce flight levels. QNE is explicitly defined in
U.S. FAA sources.
*Note
QNH is sea-level pressure. It‟s used to cause the altimeter to register height above sea level.
When sitting on the ground at an airport, dialing QNH into the altimeter will cause it to display
the airport‟s altitude above sea level.
QFE is air pressure at the current ground level. It‟s used to cause the altimeter to register height
above the ground (for a certain area). When sitting on the ground at an airport, dialing QFE into
the altimeter will cause it to display zero feet.
Transition
10Definition. After take-off, the altimeter setting will be changed from QNH to SPS at some
point. Likewise in the descent to land, the altimeter will be set to QNH from SPS at some point.
The process that allows this to be done safely and at a logical point is called transition. This
requires the altitude (or FL) at which this is done to be specified.

The altitude above the aerodrome for change from QNH to SPS is called the transition altitude,
and from SPS to QNH is the transition level. When flying below the transition altitude, the
aircraft is flown at altitudes determined with reference to sea level pressure (QNH) and the
vertical position is expressed in terms of altitude. Above the transition altitude, the vertical
position is expressed in terms of flight levels. During a climb upon reaching the transition
altitude, SPS is set and the climb continued to the desired flight level. In the descent, upon
reaching the transition level, the QNH is then set and descent continued to the desired altitude.
An exception to the above is when, on descent, the pilot is passed the QNH whilst still above the
transition level in which case the pilot would refer to vertical position as an altitude.

11Flight Levels. A flight level (FL) is defined as the vertical displacement of the aircraft above a
constant level of barometric pressure related to 1013 hPa. Flight Level Zero (FL0) is located at
the atmospheric pressure level of 1013 hPa. Subsequent flight levels are separated by a pressure
interval corresponding to 500 ft in standard atmosphere. Flight levels are numbered as follows:

FL30; FL35; FL40; FL45 etc…. and FL100; FL105; FL110 etc….

12 Transition Altitude. This is the altitude (with QNH set) above the aerodrome at which the
altimeter subscale is reset to SPS and vertical position above that is then reported as a flight
level. The transition altitude is specified for every aerodrome by the Authority of the State in
which the aerodrome is located. The transition altitude shall be as low as possible but normally
not less than 3000 ft. Transition altitudes are published in the AIP (Aeronautical Information
Publication) and shown on charts and instrument plates. A state may specify a general transition
altitude (as in the USA, 18 000 ft).
13 Transition Level. The transition level is the flight level at which the altimeter is reset to the
aerodrome QNH and subsequent flight is reported with reference to altitude. The transition level
changes with the QNH. It is calculated by the Approach Controller at regular intervals and also
when QNH changes. It is defined as the first available flight level above the transition altitude.
This will be a „rounding up‟ from what the altimeter is reading at the transition level with SPS
set. Calculation of transition level is not required by the learning objectives.

The flight crew shall be provided with the transition level :

a.prior to reaching the level during the descent
b.in the approach clearance
c.when requested by the pilot

14 Transition Layer. This is the airspace between the transition altitude with SPS set and the
transition level. It is usually insignificant but some states require a minimum depth to the
transition layer. When ascending through the transition layer (with SPS set) vertical position is
reported as a flight level and when descending through the layer with QNH set, as an altitude.
Establishment, designation and identification of units providing ATS

Air traffic service is provided by specially designated air traffic service units (ATSUs). An
ATSU may provide more than one type of service. For example, an air traffic control unit may
provide flight information and alerting service in addition to air traffic control.

The need of service to be provided depends on a number of factors, such as:

traffic types (commercial air transport, general aviation, etc.);

traffic density (i.e. how busy the airspace is);
available equipment (e.g. communication, navigation and surveillance facilities);
meteorological conditions (e.g. hazardous phenomena typical for the particular area);
georgraphy considerations (e.g. presence of deserts, mountains, open waters, etc.) and
others.

After analysis of the factors above, Classification of Airspace is made and appropriate ATSUs
are established.

The level of service to be provided depends on the airspace class and the ATS unit. An ATC unit
may provide ATC service, FIS and alerting service, although FIS would normally be of lower
priority. An FIS unit however will not provide ATC service. Also, if the area of responsibility of
an ATC unit contains uncontrolled airspace (class G), only FIS and alerting service will be
provided in this portion of airspace even though the provider is an ATC unit.

ATS Units

 Area Control Center (ACC)

 En-route, arriving & departing aircraft
 Approach Control Office (APP)
 Arriving & departing aircraft
 Aerodrome Control Tower (TWR)
 Aircraft on maneuvering area & vicinity
 Flight Information Center (FIC)
 Advice & Information for pilots
 ATS Reporting Office (ARO)
 Pre-flight clearances & Liaison
 Aeronautical Information Service (AIS)
 Aeronautical information to Airmen

In order to provide air traffic control service, an air traffic control unit shall:

a. be provided with information on the intended movement of each aircraft, or variations there
from, and with current information on the actual progress of each aircraft;

b. determine from the information received, the relative positions of known aircraft to each other;
c. issue clearances and information for the purpose of preventing collision between aircraft under
its control and of expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of traffic;

d. coordinate clearances as necessary with other units:

1. whenever an aircraft might otherwise conflict with traffic operated under the control of such
other units;

2. before transferring control of an aircraft to such other units.

except that the correlation of levels to track as prescribed therein shall not apply whenever
otherwise indicated in appropriate aeronautical information publications or air traffic control
clearances;

Note. Guidance material relating to vertical separation is contained in the Manual on

Implementation of a 300 m (1 000 ft) Vertical Separation Minimum Between FL 290 and FL 410
Inclusive (Doc 9574).

b. horizontal separation, obtained by providing:

1. longitudinal separation, by maintaining an interval between aircraft operating along the same,
converging or reciprocal tracks, expressed in time or distance; or

2. lateral separation, by maintaining aircraft on different routes or in different geographical areas;

c. composite separation, consisting of a combination of vertical separation and one of the other
forms of separation contained in b) above, using minima for each which may be lower than, but
not less than half of, those used for each of the combined elements when applied individually.
Composite separation shall only be applied on the basis of regional air navigation agreements.

Responsibility for control

Responsibility for control of individual flights

A controlled flight shall be under the control of only one air traffic control unit at any given time.

Responsibility for control within a given block of airspace

Responsibility for the control of all aircraft operating within a given block of airspace shall be
vested in a single air traffic control unit. However, control of an aircraft or groups of aircraft may
be delegated to other air traffic control units provided that coordination between all air traffic
control units concerned is assured.
Transfer of responsibility for control

Place or time of transfer

The responsibility for the control of an aircraft shall be transferred from one air traffic control
unit to another as follows:

Between two units providing area control service.

The responsibility for the control of an aircraft shall be transferred from a unit providing area
control service in a control area to the unit providing area control service in an adjacent control
area at the time of crossing the common control area boundary as estimated by the area control
center having control of the aircraft or at such other point or time as has been agreed between the
two units.

Note. Even though there is an approach control unit, control of certain flights may be
transferred directly from an area control centre to an aerodrome control tower and vice versa,
by prior arrangement between the units concerned for the relevant part of approach control
service to be provided by the area control centre or the aerodrome control tower, as applicable.
Departing aircraft.

The responsibility for control of a departing aircraft shall be transferred from the aerodrome
control tower to the unit providing approach control service:

a. when visual meteorological conditions prevail in the vicinity of the aerodrome:

1. prior to the time the aircraft leaves the vicinity of the aerodrome, or
2. prior to the aircraft entering instrument meteorological conditions, or
3. at a prescribed point or level,

as specified in letters of agreement or ATS unit instructions;

b. when instrument meteorological conditions prevail at the aerodrome:

1. immediately after the aircraft is airborne, or

2. at a prescribed point or level,

as specified in letters of agreement or ATS unit instructions.

Between control sectors/positions within the same air traffic control unit

The responsibility for control of an aircraft shall be transferred from one control sector/position
to another control sector/position within the same air traffic control unit at a point, level or time,
as specified in ATS unit instructions.