HUD deactivated - which altimeter is active?

[Templer]

If I disabled the HUD, how do I know which altimeter mode is displayed to me? 

[=SqSq=switch201]

Just now, Anw.StG2_Templer said:

If I disabled the HUD, how do I know which altimeter mode is displayed to me? 

 

Unless you are on the Kuban map, then the barometric value is always higher than the airfield level. As for Kuban, they are almost identical values. 

[F/JG300_Gruber]

In german airplanes, zoom on the altimeter, on the upper half of the instrument you should see a small window in which the atmospheric pressure is indicated. 

 

If it displays 1013, then you have the standard atmosphere

if it displays something else, you have the QFE of the nearest airfield

Edited June 25, 2018 by F/JG300_Gruber

[Herne]

airfields are very rarely below sea level. So if you switch modes assume that the mode that gives the greatest alt difference is sea level

[LukeFF]

Standard Atmospheric Pressure:

 

1013 millibars

760 mmHg

29.92 inHg

[F/JG300_Gruber]

2 hours ago, 19//Rekt said:

 

Would it really be the altitude above the surface of the airfield (QFE)? Or would it be altitude above sea level adjusted to the local atmospheric pressure (QNH)?

 

Both require the pilot to enter a non-standard pressure reading into the instrument, but my bet is that it is QNH. I'll have to test it when I get a chance.

 

Entering standard atmospheric pressure into the altimeter gives the "Pressure Altitude" (used for cruising at higher altitudes enroute in the "Flight Levels") which would not seem particularly applicable to BOX except maybe for keeping bomber formations together. 

 

(Apologies if you already know this terminology, just being overly detailed for the benefit of others reading it.)

 

 

It is really the QFE. (Which is also hinted in the technochat : nearest friendly airfield elevation). I just re-checked to be 101% sure 

I find it kind of useful for landing patterns when training some of our new pilots, and also for level or dive bombing (for flak avoidance, height is more relevant than altitude) 

 

What I don't get is why we do have the standard atmospheric pressure. Not really relevant to me. Even for bomber flights, as long as everybody have the same altimeter setting, using the 1013mbar reading isn't mandatory

 

Only the altimeter within bombsight gives you the actual QNH, but there is no way to have it in your cockpit instrument panel. 

Edited June 26, 2018 by F/JG300_Gruber

[-TBC-AeroAce]

The concept of height and altitude being two completely different things took me a couple of mins to get. People in sim circles tend to get them wrong.