Pilot Proficiency

Everything Explained: All About Altitude

Thursday, March 09, 2017 at 02:15 AM ET

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The barometric pressure setting window is also known as the Kollsman Window, named for inventor Paul Kollsman. Flying

Key Takeaways:

**Pressure Altitude** is the altimeter reading when set to a standard pressure (29.92), used for flight at and above 18,000 feet and as a basis for aircraft performance charts.
**Density Altitude** is pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperatures, acting as a crucial index for aircraft performance rather than an actual height; higher temperatures result in higher density altitude and reduced performance.
**Indicated Altitude** is what the altimeter displays with the local altimeter setting, but it can significantly differ from **True Altitude** (actual height above mean sea level) due to non-standard temperatures, particularly leading to the aircraft being lower than indicated in cold conditions.

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Pressure Altitude

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