Interactive Simulator

Altimeter Simulator

A focused look at the altimeter: set QNH, QFE and standard pressure on the subscale and see how indicated altitude responds. The foundation for everything pressure-altitude related.

QNH / QFE / 1013SubscalePressure altitude

INDICATED ALTITUDE

Indicated3,135 ft

True (AMSL)3,000 ft

Pressure alt3,142 ft

Subscale1013 hPa

Subscale 5 hPa above QNH → the altimeter over-reads by about 135 ft.

Subscale (Kollsman)

1013

Regional QNH

1008

The actual sea-level pressure of the air mass you are flying in.

True altitude

3,000

Your real height above mean sea level.

Caution: the behaviour of the instruments and information shown is approximate, for illustration and study only, and may not reflect the exact readings of a real aircraft.

Instructions for use

A pressure altimeter measures static pressure and converts it to altitude, referenced to whatever you wind into the subscale (the Kollsman window). Near sea level the relationship is about 27 ft per hPa.

The three settings

QNH — set the regional QNH and the altimeter reads altitude above mean sea level.
Standard 1013 — the altimeter reads pressure altitude (flight levels).
QFE — set so the altimeter reads zero at the field; it then shows height above that point.

Try this

Set the subscale to QNH, then to 1013, and watch the indication jump by ~27 ft per hPa of difference.
Change the regional QNH and note how the same subscale now produces a different indicated altitude.

Keep training

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