Newbie Question - Flight Levels
Anthony Ketland
I was just listening to ATC comms. on my scanner and I've noticed repeatedly
they will direct pilots to maintain a 'flight level', the most common I am
hearing at the moment is 'flight level 180'.
Could someone tell me exactly what a 'flight level' is? Is it just an
altitude?
I realise to experienced aviation enthusiasts this will be a stupid question
and I am apologise in advance for wasting anyones time.
Regards
Anthony
Dave Kearton
"Anthony Ketland" <bea...@radiocomms.com.au> wrote in message
news:40597d08$0$26962$61c6...@uq-127creek-reader-02.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
According to an instructor that I had in a previous life, the only stupid
question is the one that you should have asked.
Flight levels are altitudes in groups of 100 feet. Therefore FL 180
is 18,000 feet.
Cheers
Dave Kearton
SM
FL180 is 18,000 feet.
The other shortened number codes you'll hear are runways.
L & R mean left and right. the 2 digit number is a number between 0 and 360
without the last zero indicating the orientation of the runway from North.
Ie. to line up for a runway 27, you line up and follow heading 270.
Runways are normally expressed as 27L or 27R for instance.
"Anthony Ketland" <bea...@radiocomms.com.au> wrote in message
news:40597d08$0$26962$61c6...@uq-127creek-reader-02.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
Mil80C
height above a datum (usually mean sea level) by setting an air pressure
correction into the gague, this pressure setting corrects for variations in
barometric pressure and when set correctly will give the altitude of an
aircraft in hundreds of feet, However once above 10,000 ft aircraft tend to
move rapidly through an ever changing weather system and would need to keep
changing the altimeter setting to stay at their correct level, so a standard
pressure setting is universally used (1013 Hectopascals) and the levels
above 10,000 ft are then called "Flight Levels" so FL180 is round about
18,000 ft above mean sea level but is separated from the next level eg.
FL170 (17,000ft) by exactly 1,000ft. 1,000 ft is considered a safe
separation standard for two aircraft to pass each other. Hope that helps
"Anthony Ketland" <bea...@radiocomms.com.au> wrote in message
news:40597d08$0$26962$61c6...@uq-127creek-reader-02.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
John Smith
news:40597d08$0$26962$61c6...@uq-127creek-reader-02.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
Pardon my yankee disposition, but a flight level is with the altimeter set to
standard pressure (29.92 inches) where as altitudes are with the altimeter
set to the local (regional or area) barometric pressure, as told to the pilot
by ATC or obtained from an automated broadcast.
Different countries start flight levels at different altitudes. My understanding is
the origin was to absolutely ensure terrain clearance. The more mountainous
a country, with higher mountains, the higher the flight levels start - in the US for
example it is FL180 (18,000 ft) and above, but 17,999 ft and below.
Some European countries start at FL65 (6,500) since they have nothing to
run into at that altitude.
The closer you are to the terrain, the more accurate your altimeter should and
needs to be, hence the use of the local barometric pressure setting.
veritas
I suggest dismissing the John Smith reply as it's not relevant to a
newbie in Australia.
We don't set our altimeters to "inches mercury" in Australia.
We only have one transition level/altitude and that's nearly always
10,000 - but forget the "nearly always" - Unless you are studying for a
PPL it doesn't matter a rats arse to you. Actual feet are used below
10,000 feet; EG (Altitude) 7,500 (feet), 1,000 and etc.
I plain language, (and that was what I believe you asked for) starting
from 10,000 feet - just add 2 zeros to the flight level number that you
hear used on the radio. IE For all practical purposes - FL (Flight
level) 180 = 18,000 feet; FL230 = 23,000 feet; FL420 = 42,000 feet and
etc.
John Smith
> There's always someone willing to confuse the issue.
>
> I suggest dismissing the John Smith reply as it's not relevant to a
> newbie in Australia.
If you are flying IFR and you are assigned FL180 and decide instead to
fly 18,000 ft based on incorrect altimeter setting, you will find it very relevant
if the local barometricpressure is far off standard, and ATC decides you are
off altitude.
Many pilots are not aware there is any difference between altitude and flight
level, excepting the zeros. Don't sell the newbie short. He obviously
noticed FL vs feet and he can choose to read or not.
>
> We don't set our altimeters to "inches mercury" in Australia.
29.92 inches of mercury = 1013 Hectopascals, courtesy of a poster with
a bit less ire about a yank transplant. Myself, too old and too poor to go through
the license conversion. (CPL/IA)
Anthony Ketland
the basic concept of flight levels and headings.
Now, one more question:
**** When an aircraft is on the ground and someone says it is rotating, what
does that mean? ****
Thanks again, if I'm annoying anyone please let me know.
Regards
Anthony
"Anthony Ketland" <bea...@radiocomms.com.au> wrote in message
news:40597d08$0$26962$61c6...@uq-127creek-reader-02.brisbane.pipenetworks.com.au...
Stephen James
<bea...@radiocomms.com.au> wrote:
>Hey thanks everyone for your help, I am now happy to say that I understand
>the basic concept of flight levels and headings.
>
>Now, one more question:
>
>**** When an aircraft is on the ground and someone says it is rotating, what
>does that mean? ****
>
That is when the nose wheel is lifted off the ground so that the angle
of attack of the is increased to generate the required lift for the
aircraft to become airborne.
Regards
Stephen
PS You are not annoying anyone who is seriously interested in
aviation.
Tosser
> Hey thanks everyone for your help, I am now happy to say that I understand
> the basic concept of flight levels and headings.
>
> Now, one more question:
>
> **** When an aircraft is on the ground and someone says it is rotating, what
> does that mean? ****
It means the nose is being raised for takeoff when the aircraft has reached
flying speed.
veritas
John Smith wrote:
> "veritas" <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:pKt6c.110256$Wa....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
>>There's always someone willing to confuse the issue.
>>
>>I suggest dismissing the John Smith reply as it's not relevant to a
>>newbie in Australia.
>
>
> If you are flying IFR and you are assigned FL180 and decide instead to
> fly 18,000 ft based on incorrect altimeter setting, you will find it very relevant
> if the local barometricpressure is far off standard, and ATC decides you are
> off altitude.
Irrelevant! - How do you fly a scanner IFR - or is that something
"relevant" that only esoterical Americans know about?
>
> Many pilots are not aware there is any difference between altitude and flight
> level, excepting the zeros. Don't sell the newbie short. He obviously
> noticed FL vs feet and he can choose to read or not.
Obviously his words "I realise to experienced aviation enthusiasts...."
clearly intimated that he was *not a pilot* (yet) and therefore wanted a
simple answer to a simple question - I see no reason to deliver copious
volumes of verbal diarrhoea to simply say "add 2 zeros to read feet".
He certainly didn't need to know that the transition level in the US and
CA was 18,000 feet due to the Rocky and Sierra Mountains.
He will study "altimeter settings" in appropriate detail for his GFPT
(like all student pilots in AU, CA, US and many other ICAO subscriber
countries) if ever he wants to solo and any person who attains a PPL
that doesn't know what the transition levels are in his country should
be immediately grounded or better still, shot with his/her training
organisation instructors. But this also has little to do with the
original simple issue of "FL" translation.
>
>
>>We don't set our altimeters to "inches mercury" in Australia.
>
>
> 29.92 inches of mercury = 1013 Hectopascals, courtesy of a poster with
> a bit less ire about a yank transplant. Myself, too old and too poor to go through
> the license conversion. (CPL/IA)
1013.2 actually!
veritas
Anthony Ketland wrote:
> Hey thanks everyone for your help, I am now happy to say that I understand
> the basic concept of flight levels and headings.
>
> Now, one more question:
>
> **** When an aircraft is on the ground and someone says it is rotating, what
> does that mean? ****
>
> Thanks again, if I'm annoying anyone please let me know.
It is great to see questions asked - I'm sure everyone would welcome
such posts.
Cheers.....
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Anthony
John Smith
TY for that.
As well as obviously being a geat educator who meters information at the
precise
rate needed, you also write with the tone of the Great CASA/Airservices
God.
Since my contribution is obviously not welcome for you, please just set your
reader to ignore me.
bye ;-)
RT
John Smith wrote in message <405b6...@news.iprimus.com.au>...
>Since my contribution is obviously not welcome for you, please just set
your
>reader to ignore me.
>
>bye ;-)
Don't worry about it - you got 'em on a bad day. Your contribution is
appreciated.
Tosser
"John Smith" <som...@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:405b6...@news.iprimus.com.au...
\
> Since my contribution is obviously not welcome for you, please just set your
> reader to ignore me.
Thanks for your post, John.
I appreciated it.
(Ex instructor, skydiving and flying).
veritas
Matthew
veritas <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> 1013.2 actually!
1013.25 actually! Otherwise you'll be flying more than a foot above your
assigned altitude! Sorry, couldn't resist. :)
But yeah, quite right about keeping it simple and ignoring FL180 and the Rockies.
Matthew
veritas
i've been around longer that I'm prepared to admit :(
Matthew wrote:
>>>29.92 inches of mercury = 1013 Hectopascals
>
>
> veritas <nos...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>1013.2 actually!
>
>
> 1013.25 actually! Otherwise you'll be flying more than a foot above your
> assigned altitude! Sorry, couldn't resist. :)
I'm in no position to argue with that reason. That was the exact same
sole purpose that I "mentioned" it :)
>
> But yeah, quite right about keeping it simple and ignoring FL180 and the Rockies.
Thnx for the support......
>
> Matthew