Altitude

From Open Encyclopedia

For other uses see Altitude (disambiguation)

Altitude is the elevation of an object from a known level or datum. Common datums are mean sea level and the surface of the WGS-84 geoid, used by GPS. In North America and the UK altitude is usually measured in feet. Everywhere else in the world the altitude is measured in metres.

Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude. This principle is the basis of operation of the pressure altimeter, which is an aneroid barometer calibrated to indicate altitude instead of pressure.

1 Altitude in aviation
2 Altitude regions
3 Altitude records
4 References
5 External links
6 See also

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Altitude in aviation

In aviation, the term altitude can have several meanings. (AFM 51-40)

Indicated altitude is the reading on the altimeter when it is calibrated to the local barometric pressure, referred to as the "altimeter setting".
Absolute altitude or height is the elevation above a ground reference point, commonly the terrain elevation.
True altitude is the elevation above mean sea level.
Pressure altitude is the elevation above a standard datum plane. Above a transition altitude, which varies by nation, pressure altitude is used to set the altimeter. Pressure altitude divided by 100 is referred to as the flight level.
Density altitude is the altitude in the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) at which the air density is equal to local conditions. Aircraft performance depends on density altitude, which is affected by barometric pressure and temperature. On a very hot day, density altitude at an airport may be so high as to preclude takeoff.

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Altitude regions

Mountain medicine recognizes three altitude regions: (Non-Physician Altitude Tutorial)

High altitude = 1500m – 3500m
Very High altitude = 3500m – 5500m
Extreme altitude = 5500m – above

The Earth's atmosphere is divided into several altitude regions: (Layers of the Atmosphere)

Troposphere — surface to 8 km (above poles) – 18 km (above equator), ending at the Tropopause.
Stratosphere — Tropopause to 31 miles
Mesosphere — Stratopause to 53 miles
Thermosphere — Mesopause to 420 miles
Exosphere — Thermopause to 6200 miles

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Altitude records

This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. If you are familiar with the subject matter, please check for inaccuracies and modify as needed, citing sources.

19 September, 1783 — 500m (1,700ft) animal carrying Montgolfier hot-air balloon.
15 October, 1783 — 26m (84ft) Pilâtre de Rozier in a Montgolfier tethered balloon.
1 December, 1783 — 2.7km Professor Charles and assistant Robert in Charliere, his hydrogen-filled balloon.
1784 — 4km Pilâtre de Rozier and the chemist Proust in a Montgolfier.
18 July, 1803 — 7.28km Etienne Gaspar Robertson and Lhoest in a balloon.
1839 — 7.9km Charles Green and Spencer Rush in a free balloon.
5 September, 1862 — 9km Coxwell and English physicist Glaisher in a balloon.
4 December, 1894 — 9.155km German meteorologist Berson in an airship.
31 July, 1901 — 10.8km German meteorologist Berson and Süring in a free balloon.

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References

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External links

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[edit]

Altitude

From Open Encyclopedia

Contents

Altitude in aviation

Altitude regions

Altitude records

References

External links

See also

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