PSA: My altimeter calibration blunder

The pilot was confused about our altitude in Denver.

2 comments

2 Comments

Hey, did you catch that article about how Denver's elevation screws with pressure readings? I read that on a hot day, your actual altitude can be way off if you don't adjust for the temp. One pilot said his gauge showed wrong by like 300 feet once because he forgot to calibrate for the heat. That's enough to make you come in too high or too low on approach.

gracem906d ago

Denver's high elevation makes those altimeter settings extra tricky. A lot of pilots forget how much temperature swings there mess with the reading. If it's a hot day, your density altitude is way higher than you'd expect. That kind of mistake leaves you with way less runway than you planned for.