Radar Contact 4 altitude problem

[Guest erwin969]

>Hmmm. Ignoring FL160 are you saying that during descent you>never hear "descend to flight level two four zero" but instead>hear "descend to twenty four thousand feet"?>>That still doesn't make sense. What value are you entering in>the Cruise box? Is it 290 or are you entering 29000?>>I appreciate you may have resolved the problem with not being>at the correct altitude but you should be cleared down through>various flight levels and not altitudes in feet. That should>only occur when you're cleared below the Transition Altitude.>>Cheers,I don't know what they saying, but I think "descend to flight level two four zero"The value in the cruisbox was 32000 ft because FS Nav give this. But I never reach 32000, ATC gives me a clearing for 290, quick after that they give a clearing to decent for 280, 24, 19 etc.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

Hi,I don't know what they saying, but I think "descend to flight level two four zero"If you're hearing that instruction then everything is okay. There is a big difference between FL240 and 24,000ft. :-)The value in the cruisbox was 32000 ft because FS Nav give this.If you look carefully at the cruise level box you will see two zeroes just to the right. That means that you should only enter 290 in that box and RC will interprete it as FL290. If you enter 29000 it is interpreted as 2900000 feet or over 500 miles (1000 kilometers)!! :-eek Clearly you can't reach that cruise altitude before RC needs to start you down but all the commands are to a flight level which is correct.Spend some time reading the manual on Transition Altitudes and Flight Levels. This Wiki article is also useful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_levelCheers,

[Guest erwin969]

>Hi,>>I don't know what they saying, but I think "descend to>flight level two four zero">>If you're hearing that instruction then everything is okay.>There is a big difference between FL240 and 24,000ft. :-)>>The value in the cruisbox was 32000 ft because FS Nav give>this.>>If you look carefully at the cruise level box you will see two>zeroes just to the right. That means that you should only>enter 290 in that box and RC will interprete it as FL290. If>you enter 29000 it is interpreted as 2900000 feet or over 500>miles (1000 kilometers)!! >:-eek >>Clearly you can't reach that cruise altitude before RC needs>to start you down but all the commands are to a flight level>which is correct.>>Spend some time reading the manual on Transition Altitudes and>Flight Levels. This Wiki article is also useful.>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_level>>Cheers,Ok, thanks. I don't change anything on this cruisebox. But it remains strange that I have no problems with my last flight.

[iainsmith 9]

>No, ATC said to me 16.000 feet, not 160.000 ft. You're clearly not understanding what is meant by "flight level". FL160 is not 160,000 feet, it relates to an altimeter setting in hundreds of feet but only when the altimeter is set to the standard pressure of 29.91 ins or 1013 mB. When you are above the transition altitude for your area (in Europe anything from 3000 to 10000 feet) you set your altimeter to that standard pressure and when told to "climb to FL230" or whatever, you enter 23000 into your autopilot and when you get there your altimeter will read 23000 feet. But you will most likely not be at 23000 feet. You could be several hundred feet either side depending on the atmospheric pressure where you are.This is done so that all aircraft above the transition altitude are reading the same thing on their altimeters and are climbing/descending by the same amounts.Read the manual as Ray says. It is very important that you understand this.

[iainsmith 9]

Just had another thought on this and something else to check. If, when flying in Europe, you really are hearing controllers say "16,000 feet" are you hearing the default FS ATC controllers? Have you turned off the default FS ATC voices? If not you will still hear them as, even with Radar Contact installed, FS ATC keeps on working in the background.Just remember, when flying in Europe a Radar Contact controller will never say "16,000 feet" but "flight level 160". They will only say 16,000 feet in North America and a few other areas where the transition altitude is 18,000 feet. However, the default FS ATC works to a transition altitude of 18,000 feet everywhere.

[Guest erwin969]

Yes, everything is clear for me now allready. Thanks.

[rwy12 16]

"16,000 feet" or "flight level 160".Hi Can you please tell me what is the difference between these two.Many thanks.Qas

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

Qas,It's covered in the manual. Alternatively read the Wikipedia link I provided earlier in this discussion.Cheers,

[rwy12 16]

Thanks for the reply RayI understand the basic of this-I think.What I am confused about is what are the different actions I need to take if the RC4 controller tells me either of these-I also get the 'busted altitude' threats some time even though I am flying at the required altitude.I always ask for weather update if this happens and adjust the pressure as appropriate.Qas

[jd 57]

it's in the manualif you are told fl160, then the altimeter has to be on standard pressureif you are told 16000, then the altimeter has to be on the local pressurepressing the "B" key does not work, outside the united statesjd

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

Hi Qas,JD has given the very straight-forward rules. It really is as simple as that. ;-)You may think you're flying at the right altitude but if that assumption is based on reading an incorrectly set altimeter RC will see you at a different altitude.Cheers,