Geometric altitude is the vertical distance between an aircraft and a reference surface, indicating the aircraft’s height above the Earth’s surface. In aviation, altimeters are often set to a standard pressure for consistent geometric altitude readings. This measure is crucial for navigation and compliance with airspace regulations. Geometric altitude is distinct from pressure and indicated altitudes. The formula to calculate Geometric altitude as follows:
Where:
- hG is the Geometric Altitude in m.
- h is the Geopotential Altitude in m.
- RE is the radius of earth in km or m.