9AN41 Aircraft

instruments-II
Chapter 3
ALTIMETER
Principle of operation:
A simple altimeter consists of a thin corrugated
metal capsule which is partially evacuated, sealed and
prevented from collapsing completely by means of a leaf
spring. In some cases complete collapsing is prevented
by its own rigidity. he capsule is mounted inside a case.
he case is fed with static pressure from aircraft static
tube! vent.
As the aircraft climbs the static pressure in the case
decreases allowing the spring to pull the capsule faces
apart. If the aircraft descends the rise in pressure in the
case compresses the capsule faces. he linear movement
of the capsule face is magni"ed and transmitted via a
system of gears and lin#ages to a pointer moving over a
scale graduated in feet according to the standard
atmosphere. his calibration is according I$A% standard
atmosphere. his is also called translation of pressure
into vertical height.
A simple altimeter is set to indicate height above
the 1&1'.() mb pressure. he dial ad*usting #nob allows
the indicator needle to be moved away from datum. +y
this an altimeter is set on ground to read air "eld
elevation so that it will there after indicate height above
mean sea level. If the altimeter is set ,ero before ta#eo-
it will read height above air "eld.
Sensitive altimeter:
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he sensitivity of altimeter can be increased by
adding two or more capsules. /o that it0s linear
displacement is increased and it can detect small
changes of pressure. /uch directly operated capsule
altimeters will lac# accuracy above 1&,&&& ft. Normally,
change of pressure of 1mb at sea level is indicates only
'& feet change ot height, whereas at 1&,&&& feet a
similar change relates to a height change of '() feet.
hus altimeter measures the height of the airplane above
a given pressure level.
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Servo assisted altimeter:
he servo assisted altimeter is designed to relieve
the capsule of the wor# re2uired to drive the mechanical
lin#age. $hanges of barometric pressure is still sensed by
the contraction or e3pansion of evacuated capsules, but
the mechanical transmission is replaced by a position
control servo system, i.e. the movement of the capsule is
transferred to the pointers by means ampli"ed electrical
signals. hese electrical signals can be transmitted to
other systems cabin pressuri,ation etc. 4elieving the
capsule e-ort to move the pointer through gears and
lin#ages, increases the accuracy of altimeter.
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Pressure altitude and indicated altitude:
Altimeter will read the height under I/A condition
which is also #nown as a pressure altitude. In practice,
atmospheric pressure and temperature changes
continuously on the globe. 5nder these non-standard
conditions altimeter will be in error and display the
indicated altitude. 6or e3ample, altimeter under I/A at
sea level will respond to 1&1'.() mb and indicate the
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9AN41 Aircraft
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pressure altitude of ,ero feet. If the sea level pressure
falls to 1&1(.( mb, the altimeter will indicate that the
air"eld is '& feet above sea level. hus it is in error 7'&
feet. Now if the pressure increases to 1&14.( mb at sea
level, it will read '& feet below, an error of -'& feet.
In a similar manner, errors would be introduced in
the reading of such altimeter in 8ight whenever the
atmospheric pressure at any particular height varies from
the assumed standard value. 6or e3ample, if an aero
plane 8ying at ),&&& feet enters a region where pressure
has fallen from standard value of 94(.99 mb to 9': mb,
the altimeter will indicate )19& feet. herefore to
compensate for altitude errors due to atmospheric
pressure changes, altimeters are provided with a
manually operated setting device which allows prevailing
ground pressure valves to be pre-set before ta#e-o-, and
during 8ight continuously when aircraft is in contact with
nearest aerodrome or with each other.
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Q code:
he setting of altimeters to the barometric pressures
prevailing at various 8ight levels and air"elds is part of
8ight operating techni2ues, and is essential for
maintaining ade2uate separation between aircraft, and
terrain clearance during ta#e-o- and landing. In order to
ma#e the settings a pilot is dependent on observed
meteorological data which are re2uested and transmitted
from ground control centers. he re2uests and
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transmissions are adopted universally in the form of I$A%
<=< code of communication.
QFE: It is a setting of the barometric
pressure prevailing at an airport to ma#e the altimeter
read ,ero on landing at, and ta#e-o- from, that airport.
he ,ero reading is regardless of airport elevation above
sea level.
QNH: /etting the barometric pressure to
ma#e the altimeter read airport elevation above sea level
at the time of landing and ta#e -o-. he =N> valve is
only valid in the immediate vicinity of airport concerned.
=N> is useful in determining terrain clearance when an
aircraft is en-route.
SAS: he third setting is referred as
standard altimeter setting, in which barometric pressure
is set to 1&1'.() mb or (9.9( in hg. It is used for
8ights above a prescribed transition altitude. It has the
advantage that re2uisite limit of separation between all
aircraft 8ying in the same airspace, can be maintained
easily. his setting varies from one continent to another.
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Altitude: It is the vertical distance above mean sea
level. he altimeter indicates an altitude when =N> is
set.
Elevation: It is the vertical distance of a "3ed point
above or below sea level. Air port elevation means
vertical distance of a touch down point from ?/@.
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9AN41 Aircraft
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Height: It is the vertical distance measured from
speci"ed datum, when =6A is set. Altimeter indicates
height above airport datum.
Altimeter failure:
Buring the course of 8ight an altimeter could fail
due to bloc#age of static vent in icing! raining conditions
or mechanical failure in the sensor! transmitting media.
An altimeter could also fail due to lea#age in pipelines
from static vent to the indicator. 5nder such situations
the aircraft should land bac# to the aerodrome stating
the emergency to A$. >owever to avoid such
emergencies two altimeters are provided, one for captain
and other for "rst oCcer. Also these altimeters have
alternate static pressure source with a change over
switch so that at least one altimeter will remain
serviceable. In modern altimeters a failure 8ag is
incorporated which indicates the failure of the
instrument.
A typical servo altimeter may have pneumatic system
also, which will continue to function if the electrical power
fails. In that case a warning 8ag is displayed on the dial
indicating the failure of electrical supply. In spite of many
safety devices a complete failure of the altimeter system
could not be ruled out. In that case the 8ight should be
discontinued and e-orts are to be made to land safely to
the nearest air"eld and get the system recti"ed.
A simple recti"cation procedure includesD
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a. $learing the drain holes and typical drains of the
system.
b. $hec#ing the pitot! static heating system.
c. $hec#ing the electrical circuit of servo altimeter etc.
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