Ruth Haines
Field elevation is important for pilots to know for terrain clearance and compliance with speed restrictions. It can be found on the airport diagram, which is based on a specific point along the usable portion of the landing area. This is usually the highest point of an airport's usable runways, measured in height above mean sea level. Field elevation can be found on the main airport diagram or on websites such as airnav, skyvector, and navigraph. It can also be found on the in-game VFR map in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to identify an airport on a map | Military airports can be identified by abbreviations like AAF, NAS, and NAV. Civilian airports are identified by a 3-letter code agreed with the ICAO. |
| How to find the elevation of an airport | The elevation of an airport is the highest point of its usable runways and is measured in height above mean sea level. |
| How to find the elevation on a map | Contour lines or shaded relief maps indicate areas of low and high elevation. |
| How to find the elevation of a specific airport | The elevation of a specific airport can be found on its diagram or by searching its ICAO code on SkyVector, AirNav, or Google. |
| How to find the elevation of an airport in a flight simulator | The elevation can be found on the in-game VFR map or by entering the ICAO code. |
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What You'll Learn
Airport elevation diagrams
Airport diagrams are published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and follow a common format. They are used by pilots to navigate the taxiways and runways, and to locate the airport from the air. The margin of the diagram contains important information, including the date of the latest revision, the type of chart, the name of the airport, and its identifier. The date of the latest revision represents the day of the last amendment to the chart.
The airport's Air Traffic Control Tower is labelled TWR, and it is important to know its location on the field. The number below the TWR represents the height of the control tower, which aids in obstacle avoidance. The field elevation is also shown on the diagram, with a box labelled FIELD ELEV followed by a number, indicating the elevation of the airport above mean sea level in feet. This information helps ensure the accuracy of the aircraft's altimeter.
In addition to the airport diagram, pilots can refer to sectional charts, which provide guidance for avoiding obstacles and flying above changing terrain. These charts include contour lines or shaded relief maps that indicate areas of low and high elevation, as well as significant geological features. The Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) is a number found in each quadrant of the sectional chart, representing the highest elevation of any terrain or man-made features in that quadrant.
To find the elevation of a specific airport, one can refer to the airport diagram or sectional charts. The elevation is typically represented by a number, often positive, indicating the height above mean sea level. If the elevation is at mean sea level, it may be coded as "00", and if it is below mean sea level, it will be a negative number. This information can also be found in the Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) listing for each airport, which is part of the Chart Supplements published by the FAA.
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Contour lines
The spacing between contour lines also provides valuable information about the slope of the terrain. Widely separated contour lines indicate a gentle slope, while closely spaced lines suggest a steep slope. Sharp contour points indicate pointed ridges, and rounded contours suggest flatter or wider drainage areas or spurs.
By interpreting contour lines, pilots can make informed decisions about their flight paths, adjust flight parameters, and avoid obstacles. This skill is essential for drone pilots seeking certification, as it enables them to understand airspace hazards, topography, and controlled airspace around airports.
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Maximum Elevation Figures (MEFs)
The Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF) is a crucial aspect of sectional charts, providing pilots with essential information about the highest geographical features within a quadrangle area. This includes natural terrain, such as mountains, rivers, and valleys, as well as man-made structures like towers and buildings.
MEFs are calculated to ensure pilots can maintain a safe altitude, avoiding controlled flight into terrain. The calculations take into account the highest natural terrain or man-made obstacles, adding vertical accuracy and error margins, and then rounding up to the next hundred feet. For instance, a value of 105 on a sectional chart indicates that the highest elevation within that quadrangle is 10,500 feet.
In the context of visual flight rules (VFR), MEFs serve as a "quadrantal altitude," guiding pilots to fly above the indicated altitude to ensure clearance from obstacles. This is particularly important for visual navigation, where pilots rely on their eyesight to navigate and avoid hazards.
In Australia, Visual Navigation Charts (VNCs) and Visual Terminal Charts (VTCs) typically indicate MEF information using bold elevation figures for each grid. Pilots must also adhere to minimum flying altitude regulations, such as maintaining an altitude of at least 1000 feet above populated or built-up areas and 500 feet elsewhere.
When referring to airport elevations, various sources of information can be utilised. Aeronautical charts, such as IFR charts, provide MSA (Minimum Safe Altitude) information for each sector. Additionally, the radar altimeter can offer real-time altitude readings, although it may not be the primary reference for terrain avoidance. For larger jets, the landing elevation information can be found on specific pages within the aircraft's systems, such as the A320's Pressurization page in the lower ECAM screen.
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Radar altimeters
The basic principle behind radar altimeters is the measurement of the time taken for a transmitted signal to reach the ground and reflect back to the aircraft. This time-of-flight measurement is used to calculate the distance from the aircraft to the terrain directly below it, giving an accurate indication of altitude above ground level (AGL). This technology is based on electromagnetic wave propagation, with radio signals transmitted and received to determine height.
The use of radar altimeters is integral to ground proximity warning systems and the operation of aircraft during Category 2/3 approaches, helping to prevent Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). They are also crucial for automatic landings, providing data to the autothrottle and flight computer to initiate the flare manoeuvre during the glideslope capture mode.
While radar altimeters offer valuable altitude information, they typically provide readings up to 2,500 feet (760 metres) AGL. Beyond this range, weather radar can be employed to obtain readings from longer distances, up to 60,000 feet (18,000 metres) AGL. As of 2012, all airliners are mandated to have a minimum of two radar altimeters installed due to their significance in autoland capabilities.
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Aeronautical charts
There are nine types of aeronautical charts in general use in the United States, with many used mainly for instrument flying. These include en route low-altitude charts, en route high-altitude charts, instrument approach procedures, instrument departure procedures, and standard terminal arrival procedures.
Sectional charts, which are in common use, help pilots with visual navigation of slow or medium-speed aircraft. They use a one-to-500,000 scale and cover a total area of about 340x340 miles, printed on both sides of the map. The whole map is separated into quadrants, with each quadrant defined by a boundary within 30 minutes latitude and 30 minutes longitude. Sectional charts provide guidance for pilots to avoid obstacles and to fly above constantly changing terrain. The most prevalent indicators of the terrain are contour lines or the shaded relief map, either of which may act as the base map for the sectional chart. With some practice, it only takes a cursory glance at a map to identify areas of low and high elevation as well as significant geological features such as mountains, rivers, and valleys.
Beyond visual terrain indicators, sectional charts also contain symbols and figures that pilots can use to adjust their flight parameters and trajectories. One of the most important is the Maximum Elevation Figure (MEF), a number found in each quadrant of the sectional chart. The MEF of a quadrant represents the highest elevation of any terrain or man-made features in the quadrant. There are also several other symbols found in sectional charts to represent various types of obstacles.
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Frequently asked questions
The field elevation of an airport is the same as the airport elevation, which is the highest point of an airport's usable runways. This information can be found on the airport diagram, which can be accessed by entering the ICAO code in the search bar.
ICAO stands for the International Civil Aviation Organization. Each airport has a 3-letter ICAO code that stands for its name. For example, the 3-letter identifier for Minot International Airport is MOT.
The runway elevation or touchdown zone elevation (TDZE) is the highest elevation in the first 3,000 feet of the landing surface. The field elevation is not always located at the end of the runway.
Contour lines on a map indicate elevation. With some practice, you can identify areas of low and high elevation by glancing at a map.
