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6 Answers

How does a non-baro sensitive altimeter work?

Asked by: 4302 views , , , ,
Aircraft Systems, Instrument Rating

Would it simply read the PA at all times and require you to manually figure out your IA?

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6 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Kris Kortokrax on Mar 12, 2015

    You set field elevation before departing. It shows altitude relative to that place and time (pressure). There is no Kollsman window so you can’t set it for the closest altimeter setting.

    Sometimes it’s called a height gauge.

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  2. Drew on Mar 13, 2015

    There is still a knob to adjust the indicator but no window to display the altimeter setting, so you simply adjust it to the field elevation before taking off. Is that correct?

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  3. Kris Kortokrax on Mar 13, 2015

    That’s it.

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  4. Drew on Mar 14, 2015

    That makes me wonder: how would you maintain traffic separation when ATC provides the altimeter setting while flying a XC with flight following? And how would you land at an area with pressure vastly different from your departure point? I suppose the reason it’s only used for VFR is so that you can look outside for traffic and to do a visual approach even if the altimeter may be a bit off?

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  5. Kris Kortokrax on Mar 15, 2015

    Exactly. You look outside.

    You are not likely to encounter an instrument like this unless you are flying an antique.

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  6. Drew on Mar 15, 2015

    Thank you, Kris.

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