Altitude in aircraft design refers to the vertical distance above a specific reference point, which is often sea level or a defined ground reference point. It is a critical parameter in aviation used for navigation, flight planning, and air traffic control. The formula for calculating altitude and its SI unit are as follows:
Altitude Formula: The formula for calculating altitude (h) is based on the difference in atmospheric pressure between the aircraft’s current location and a reference pressure level (typically sea level). This is often done using a barometric altimeter. The formula can be expressed as:
- h: Altitude, measured in meters (m).
- P₀: Pressure at sea level, measured in pascals (Pa) or other pressure units.
- P: Pressure at the aircraft’s current location, measured in pascals (Pa) or other pressure units.
- ρ: Density of air, measured in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).
- g: Acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.81 meters per second squared (m/s²).