Altimetry and

Atmosphere
 PRINCIPLES OF AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE

Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Topic 2 – Lecture 5

Principles of Aeronautical Science

Lesson Recall
i. Temperature Lapse Rate / Environmental Lapse Rate
ii. Geometry, Pressure, Density & Temperature Altitude

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Contents
i. The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
ii. ISA Deviation
iii. Relationship between Height, Altitude, Elevation & Flight Levels
(FL)
iv. Relationship between Pressure Altitude, Temperature Altitude &
Density Altitude

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 PRINCIPLES OF
AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE

Altimetry and The Atmosphere

International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
•An atmospheric model of how the pressure, temperature, density, and
viscosity of the Earth’s atmosphere change over a wide range of
altitudes
•Consists of tables of values at various altitudes, plus some formulas by
which those values were derived. (mean sea level = MSL)
Mean sea level temperature +15˚C
Mean sea level pressure 1013.25 mb or hPa
Mean sea level density 1.225 kg/m3
•Temperature is assumed to decrease (lapse rate) at 1.98˚C per 1000ft
from MSL up to 36,000ft thereafter remaining constant at -56.5˚C
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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

ICAO Standard Atmosphere

•The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standard
Atmosphere - gives the average values for meteorological element
at 40˚N from mean sea level (MSL) to 80km (262,500 ft)
•ICAO Standard Atmosphere does not contain water vapour
•ICAO published their "ICAO Standard Atmosphere" as Doc 7488-CD
in 1993. It has the same model as the ISA, but extends the altitude
coverage to 80km (262,500 feet)

Principles of Aeronautical Science

 PRINCIPLES OF
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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

ICAO Standard Atmosphere

Height Temperature Pressure Lapse Rate

(km & ft) (°C) (hPa) (°C/1000ft)
0km MSL 15.0 1013.25 1.98 (Tropospheric)
11km 36,000ft -56.5 226.00 0.00 (Stratospheric)
20km 65,000ft -56.5 54.70 -1.00 (Stratospheric)
As this is a Standard model, you will unlikely encounter these conditions in the real
atmosphere. Nonetheless many aviation standards and flying rules are based on this
e.g. altimetry. The standard is very useful in Meteorology for comparing actual values to
estimated values.

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

The Jet Standard Atmosphere (JSA)

•The Mean Sea Level values for temperature, pressure and density are
identical to ISA
•However the temperature lapse rate is assumed to be 2˚C per 1000ft

For our reference, we normally use 2˚C per 1000ft as the temperature
lapse rate in our calculations.

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 PRINCIPLES OF
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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

ISA Variation with Altitude

•Pressure, temperature, density, viscosity and speed of sound variation

for the international standard atmosphere (ISA) can be calculated for a
range of altitudes from sea level upward. This is done using an exact
solution to the hydrostatic equation for a column of air
•The air is assumed to be a perfect gas and in the lower region
(troposphere) the atmosphere has a lapse rate (L) of 6.5K/km
•At an altitude of 36089 ft the stratosphere starts and the temperature
remains constant at 217K

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Variation of Local Ground Conditions

•On many occasions the ground temperature and pressure will not
exactly be equal to ISA standard conditions
•In these cases it is possible to adjust the atmosphere model to suit local
conditions
•As the depth of the atmosphere is very small (125Km-150Km) local
variations in temperature and pressure will substantially effect the full
depth of the atmosphere
•Where local sea level temperature is above 15˚C an ISA+ model is used

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 PRINCIPLES OF
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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Variation of Local Ground Conditions

• Where local sea level temperature is above 15˚C an ISA+ model is used
• This model the complete atmosphere is incremented by the
temperature difference between the current sea level temperature and
the standard value of 15˚C. For example, on a 20˚C day, an ISA+5 model
is used
• Temperature at all levels is incremented by 5˚C
• No adjustments are made for ground surface altitude, all calculations
are done based on model starting at sea level

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

• Height is measured from ground level

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

• Elevation is the measurement of height above sea-level for an

aerodrome or airport (measured from a prescribed point) based on
air pressure at the aerodrome

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

• Altitude of an aircraft is obtained referenced to the sea level

pressure (indicated when using local QNH setting)
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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

• Flight Level (FL) is measured from the Standard pressure of

1013.2mb
Principles of Aeronautical Science
 PRINCIPLES OF
AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE

Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Principles of Aeronautical Science

 PRINCIPLES OF
AERONAUTICAL SCIENCE

Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Altitudes
Geometric Altitude - It is the height that we would measure with a tape
measure in some length unit, say metres or feet
Pressure Altitude – is the height in the ISA above the 1013.2 mb (hPa)
pressure level at which the pressure equals that of the aircraft or point
under consideration
In class calculation:
1 mb change in pressure = 30ft change in height

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Altimetry and The Atmosphere

Density Altitude

• The altitude relative to the standard atmosphere conditions (ISA) at

which the air density would be equal to the indicated air density at
the place of observation
• Is air density given as a height above mean sea level and can also be
considered to be the pressure altitude adjusted for non-standard
temperature

Principles of Aeronautical Science

Lesson Summary
i. The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)
ii. ISA Deviation
iii. Relationship between Height, Altitude, Elevation & Flight Levels
(FL)
iv. Relationship between Pressure Altitude, Temperature Altitude &
Density Altitude

Principles of Aeronautical Science