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Tool Kit
FSF ALAR Briefing Note
3.1 — Barometric Altimeter and
Radio Altimeter
Flight crews on international routes encounter different units Some operators set the altimeter to QFE in areas where air
of measurement for setting barometric altimeters, thus traffic control (ATC) uses QNH and the majority of operators
requiring altimeter cross-check procedures. use QNH. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) can prevent
altimeter-setting errors.
Statistical Data
Units of Measurement
The Flight Safety Foundation Approach-and-landing Accident
Reduction (ALAR) Task Force found that lack of positional The most common units of measurement for setting
awareness was a causal factor1 in 51 percent of 76 approach- altimeters are:
and-landing accidents and serious incidents worldwide in 1984
• Hectopascals (hPa) [previously referred to as millibars
through 1997.2 The task force said that these accidents and
(mb)]; and,
incidents generally involved lack of vertical-position awareness
and resulted in controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). • Inches of mercury (in. Hg).
Figure 1
Actual Height
Indicated Altitude 3,000 AFL
4,000 Feet
Actual Altitude
5,000 Feet MSL
Field Elevation
Altimeter Setting: 29.XX Inches Hg 2,000 Feet
Figure 2
In Figure 2, QNH is an unusually high 30.XX in. Hg, but the Setting the Altimeter
altimeter was set mistakenly to a more usual 29.XX in. Hg,
resulting in the true altitude being 1,000 feet higher than To help prevent errors associated with different units of
indicated. measurement or with unusual values (low or high), the
following SOPs should be used when broadcasting (ATIS or
Confusion about units of measurement (i.e., hPa vs. in. Hg) controllers) or reading back (pilots) an altimeter setting:
leads to similar errors.
• All digits, as well as the unit of measurement (e.g., inches
or hectopascals), should be announced.
In Figure 3 (page 61), a QNH of 991 hPa was set mistakenly
on the altimeter as 29.91 in. Hg (equivalent to 1012 hPa), A transmission such as “altimeter setting six seven” can
resulting in the true altitude being 640 feet lower than be interpreted as 28.67 in. Hg, 29.67 in. Hg, 30.67 in.
indicated. Hg or 967 hPa.
AFL = Above field level MSL = Mean sea level Hg = Mercury hPa = Hectopascals
QNH = Altimeter setting that causes altimeter to indicate height above mean sea level (thus, field elevation at touchdown)
Source: Flight Safety Foundation Approach-and-landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) Task Force
Figure 3
Stating the complete altimeter setting prevents confusion • Fixed for a given airport (as indicated on the approach
and allows detection and correction of a previous error. chart); or,
• When using in. Hg, “low” should precede an altimeter • Variable, depending on QNH (as indicated in the ATIS
setting of 28.XX in. Hg and “high” should precede an broadcast).
altimeter setting of 30.XX in. Hg.
Depending on the airline’s/flight crew’s usual area of operation,
An incorrect altimeter setting often is the result of one or more changing from a fixed transition altitude/flight level to variable
of the following factors: transition altitudes/flight levels may result in a premature
resetting or a late resetting of the altimeter.
• High workload;
• A deviation from defined task-sharing; An altitude constraint (expressed in altitude or flight level) also
• An interruption/distraction; may delay or advance the setting of the standard altimeter setting
(1013.2 hPa or 29.92 in. Hg), possibly resulting in crew confusion.
• Inadequate cross-checking by flight crewmembers; or,
• Confusion about units of measurement. Altimeter References
Adherence to the defined task-sharing (for normal conditions
The barometric-altimeter reference (“bug”) and the radio-
or abnormal conditions) and normal checklists are effective
altimeter decision height (RA DH) bug must be set according
defenses to help prevent altimeter-setting errors.
to the aircraft manufacturer’s SOPs or the company’s SOPs.
Table 1 (page 62) shows some examples.
Metric Altimeter
For all approaches, except Category (CAT) I instrument landing
Metric altitudes in certain countries (e.g., the Commonwealth of system (ILS) approaches with RA DH, CAT II ILS approaches
Independent States and the People’s Republic of China) also and CAT III ILS approaches, the standard call “minimum”
require SOPs for the use of metric altimeters (or conversion tables). will be based on the barometric-altimeter bug set at the
minimum descent altitude/height [MDA(H)] or decision
altitude/height [DA(H)].
Crossing the Transition Altitude/Flight Level
Radio-altimeter standard calls can be either:
The transition altitude/flight level can be either:
• Announced by the PNF (or the flight engineer); or,
• Fixed for the whole country (e.g., FL 180 in the United
States); • Generated automatically by a synthesized voice.
Indicated
Altitude
3,000 Feet
2,000 Feet
−440 Feet
1,560 Feet 2,000 Feet
1,000 Feet
Figure 4
• Waypoint crossing altitudes during a global positioning – Using the standby altimeter to cross-check the
system (GPS) approach flown with barometric vertical primary altimeters;
navigation.
– Altitude calls;
ICAO does not provide altitude corrections for extremely high – Radio-altimeter calls; and,
temperatures; however, the temperature effect on true altitude
must not be ignored when planning for a constant-angle – Setting the barometric-altimeter bug and RA DH bug.
nonprecision approach (CANPA) (i.e., to maintain the required
flight path/vertical speed). The following FSF ALAR Briefing Notes provide information
to supplement this discussion
• 1.1 — Operating Philosophy;
Summary
• 2.3 — Pilot-Controller Communication;
Altimeter-setting errors result in insufficient vertical-position
awareness. The following minimize the potential for altimeter- • 2.4 — Interruptions/Distractions; and,
setting errors and foster optimum use of the barometric- • 3.2 — Altitude Deviations.♦
altimeter bug and RA DH bug:
• Awareness of altimeter-setting changes demanded by References
prevailing weather conditions (extreme cold fronts, extreme
warm fronts, steep frontal surfaces, semi-permanent 1. The Flight Safety Foundation Approach-and-landing
low pressure areas or seasonal low pressure areas); Accident Reduction (ALAR) Task Force defines causal
factor as “an event or item judged to be directly
• Awareness of the unit of measurement for setting the instrumental in the causal chain of events leading to the
altimeter at the destination airport; accident [or incident].” Each accident and incident in the
• Awareness of the anticipated altimeter setting (based on study sample involved several causal factors.
aviation routine weather reports [METARs] and ATIS 2. Flight Safety Foundation. “Killers in Aviation: FSF Task
broadcasts); Force Presents Facts About Approach-and-landing and
• PF-PNF cross-checking; and, Controlled-flight-into-terrain Accidents.” Flight Safety
Digest Volume 17 (November–December 1998) and
• Adherence to SOPs for:
Volume 18 (January–February 1999): 1–121. The facts
– Resetting altimeters at the transition altitude/flight level; presented by the FSF ALAR Task Force were based on
Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Editorial Staff. “Boeing 737 ICAO. International Standards and Recommended Practices,
Pilot Flying Selects Incorrect Altitude in Holding Pattern, Annex 6 to the Convention of International Civil Aviation,
Causes Dangerous Loss of Separation with MD-81. Accident Operation of Aircraft. Part I, International Commercial Air
Prevention Volume 55 (April 1998). Transport - Aeroplanes. Chapter 6, “Aeroplane Instruments,
Equipment and Flight Documents,” 6.9.1. Appendix 2,
FSF Editorial Staff. “During Nonprecision Approach at Night, “Contents of an Operations Manual,” 5.13. Seventh edition –
MD-83 Descends Below Minimum Descent Altitude and July 1998, incorporating Amendments 1–25.
Contacts Trees, Resulting in Engine Flame-out and Touchdown
Short of Runway.” Accident Prevention Volume 54 (April 1997). ICAO. Procedures for Air Navigation Services. Rules of the
Air and Air Traffic Services. Thirteenth edition – 1996,
FSF Editorial Staff. “Learjet MEDEVAC Flight Ends in incorporating Amendments 1–3.
Controlled-flight-into-terrain (CFIT) Accident.” Accident
Prevention Volume 54 (January 1997). ICAO. Preparation of an Operations Manual. Second edition
– 1997.
FSF Editorial Staff. “Different Altimeter Displays and Crew
Fatigue Likely Contributed to Canadian Controlled-flight-into- ICAO. Manual of Radiotelephony. Second edition – 1990.
terrain Accident.” Accident Prevention Volume 52 (December
1995). ICAO. Human Factors Training Manual. First edition – 1998,
incorporating Circular 216.
Lawton, Russell. “DC-10 Destroyed, No Fatalities, After
Aircraft Veers Off Runway During Landing.” Accident ICAO. Circular 241, Human Factors Digest No. 8, “Human
Prevention Volume 51 (May 1994). Factors in Air Traffic Control.” 1993.
Notice
The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Approach-and-landing Accident • Flight management system;
Reduction (ALAR) Task Force has produced this briefing note to • Automatic ground spoilers;
help prevent ALAs, including those involving controlled flight into
terrain. The briefing note is based on the task force’s data-driven • Autobrakes;
conclusions and recommendations, as well as data from the U.S. • Thrust reversers;
Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Joint Safety Analysis
• Manufacturers’/operators’ standard operating procedures; and,
Team (JSAT) and the European Joint Aviation Authorities Safety
Strategy Initiative (JSSI). • Two-person flight crew.
The briefing note has been prepared primarily for operators and pilots This briefing note is one of 34 briefing notes that comprise a
of turbine-powered airplanes with underwing-mounted engines (but fundamental part of the FSF ALAR Tool Kit, which includes a variety
can be adapted for fuselage-mounted turbine engines, turboprop- of other safety products that have been developed to help prevent
powered aircraft and piston-powered aircraft) and with the following: ALAs.
• Glass flight deck (i.e., an electronic flight instrument system This information is not intended to supersede operators’ or
with a primary flight display and a navigation display); manufacturers’ policies, practices or requirements, and is not
• Integrated autopilot, flight director and autothrottle systems; intended to supersede government regulations.
In the interest of aviation safety, this publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in all media, but may not be offered for sale or used commercially
without the express written permission of Flight Safety Foundation’s director of publications. All uses must credit Flight Safety Foundation.