Transition ALT UK I thought was FL180 and for Europe.When I look more closely at airport charts for the UK, like EGGP. It say Transition ALT 6,000ftDoes that mean I should goto STD above 6,000ft or is it a local restriction?Educate me please.

http://www.iaa.ie/index.jsp?a=1005&n=96&p=93It varies between 3000 and 6000, but yes, you would switch to standard above the specified level.There are proposals to make it 18000 as per USA and Canada (see link)

Yes, it is 6,000 transition altitude (on the way up) in the UK, so you should set to STD (1013 / 2992) at 6,000.Many counties are different; Eg I believe Spain is 5,000, and a couple of countries are 4,000. In fact, although the 18,000 level dominates the flight sim scene, I believe it's only actually the US and Canada who use 18,000. In almost all other counties it's a much lower transition.

Great, thank you.Is there a way to set FSX ATC to use 6,000ft not 18,000?

Great, thank you.Is there a way to set FSX ATC to use 6,000ft not 18,000?

Alas, no!Your FSX controller in the UK will always be an American Gent/Lady, (merely on secondment to the UK); and they will always have you transition at 18,000. :smile:I think some of the addon ATC programs out there may support different TAs.

Yes, it is 6,000 transition altitude (on the way up) in the UK, so you should set to STD (1013 / 2992) at 6,000.

Actually it varies even within countries. You have to refer to the charts. For instance, in the UK, whilst it is mostly 6000 these days (it used to vary a lot more than it does now), you still haveEGNH Blackpool, TA = 3000'EGNS Isle of Man, TA = 3000'EGNM Leeds/Bradford, TA = 5000'EGGP Liverpool, TA = 5000'EGCC Manchester, TA = 5000',and others I'm sure. Those are just the ones I'm aware of (and double-checked with the latest charts).The other difference from US/Canada practice is that the TA is only valid climbing. For descent there's a TL (Transition Level) which is different and depends on the pressure (QNH). Basically you need to set STD when told by ATC to clmb to a Level, and set the QNH when told to descend to an Altitude.FS is not equipped to handle all this. Radar Contact is properly equipped. I don't know about VoxATC, but I should think that was too.RegardsPete

That's interesting Pete, I didn't know there were variations within the UK. (By jove, we make things hard eh!).I knew the TA only applied to the climb, hence putting "on the way up" in my original post above. But I had forgotten the proper reference for the descending transition, which is of course as you say Transition Level (TL).The other aspect that makes this seemingly complex system a little easier in practice, is that ATC will advise the QNH pressure once it becomes relevant, and needs to be set.Eg(Still above Transition Level): "Descend and maintain FL 090" (9,000, still at STD 1013).(Descending below Transition Level): "Descend and maintain 4,000 feet, altimeter 1004"So when the pilot hears the second example above, he knows he is descending to 4,000 but also that it's no longer 4,000 at standard (1013) QNH but instead at the quoted local figure (in that case 1004).Cheers.

AivlaSoft receives updated TA data every cycle and displays TA on the appropriate charts. I share that data with FS Captain and Multi Crew Experience every other cycle or so. (E.g., there've been definitions since the first of the year for EGKA -HR -MD -MH -SQ and -SC for a TA of 6000ft.)AivlaSoft will displays any "fixed TL" data (such as 15000 ft in NZ) and shows TL to be "by ATC" otherwise. (MCE does a standard TL calculation based on the TA and the local station pressure.)

AivlaSoft receives updated TA data every cycle and displays TA on the appropriate charts. I share that data with FS Captain and Multi Crew Experience every other cycle or so. (E.g., there've been definitions since the first of the year for EGKA -HR -MD -MH -SQ and -SC for a TA of 6000ft.)AivlaSoft will displays any "fixed TL" data (such as 15000 ft in NZ) and shows TL to be "by ATC" otherwise. (MCE does a standard TL calculation based on the TA and the local station pressure.)

That's pretty cool. :(