Pilot Altimeter

Pressure-based altimeter and vertical speed indicator.

NOTE: YOU NEED A PRESSURE SENSOR TO USE THIS APP. It does not work with GPS. If you install it on a device that does not have a pressure sensor, it will only show "No Data".

This is completely free; there are not even ads!

The app is an electronic version of an altimeter and vertical speed indicator (VSI) designed for pilots to use easily. It does not replace the need for an approved altimeter in your aircraft, but that does not mean it doesn't work. I envisage its main uses are as an emergency altimeter if the one on the aircraft fails, and as a tool to allow trainee pilots to learn the basics of altimetry.

It displays feet above the datum which can be expressed in either hectopascals (equivalent to millibars) or inches of mercury. There are buttons to decrease and increase the pressure datum by 10 units and 1 unit, and there is a special button to use to select pressure altitude which instantly sets 1013.25 hPa (29.92 inHg). In this mode, it shows your flight level as well as the pressure altitude.

I have also added the capability to display a rolling 30s history of indicated altitude and vertical speed. How accurate is your straight and level flying? What about your level turns, rate 1, medium rate or steep? You can't focus on the altimeter or VSI while you are turning! With this, you can look at how well you did after the fact.

Perhaps you use an autopilot and you want to know how well it holds your level? This is probably the exact tool you need!

I have now tested it while flying and it was reading about 60 feet high on the Cardiff QFE during the test which was conducted in a Cessna 172. That seemed to be consistent through the circuit when comparing its reading to that of the altimeter within the aircraft.

If you intend to make use of it while flying, please read the more extensive notes here beforehand:

http://phabvionics.co.uk/android-pilot-altimeter/

In particular, I do not recommend that you use this as your primary reference to altitude.

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KNOWN PROBLEMS:

A screen rotation causes loss of historic filter data at present. All that means is that you have to wait a few seconds (depending on the filter strength) to regain accurate indications and for the rolling history graph to catch up. Fixed in v1.8, now being rolled out.