ALTIMETER SETTING PROCEDURES

ENR 1.7 ALTIMETER SETTING PROCEDURES

1 Introduction

1.1

The altimeter setting procedures in use generally conform to those contained in ICAO Doc 8168, Vol I, Part 6 and are given in full below.

1.2

Transition altitudes for all aerodromes are given on the instrument approach charts.

1.3

QNH reports and temperature information for use in determining adequate terrain clearance are provided in MET broadcasts and are available on request from air traffic service units.

1.4

QNH values are given in hectopascal (hPa)

2 Basic Altimeter Setting Procedures

2.1 General

2.1.1

The vertical positioning of aircraft when at or below the transition altitude is expressed in terms of altitude, whereas such positioning at or above the transition level is expressed in terms of flight levels. While passing through the transition layer, vertical positioning is expressed in terms of flight levels when ascending and in terms of altitude when descending.

2.1.2

The change in reference from altitude to flight levels, and vice – versa, is made, when climbing at transition altitude and, when descending at the transition level.

2.1.3

Flight level zero is located at the atmospheric pressure level of 1 013.2 hPa. Consecutive flight levels are separated by a pressure interval corresponding to 500ft (152.4m) in the standard atmosphere.

Note:

Examples of the relationship between flight levels and altimeter indications are given in the following table, the metric equivalents being approximate.

Flight level	Altimeter indication
Flight level	Feet	Metres
010	1 000	300
015	1 500	450
020	2 000	600
050	5 000	1 500
100	10 000	3 050
150	15 000	4 550
200	20 000	6 100
250	25 000	7 600
300	30 000	9 150
350	35 000	10 650
400	40 000	12 200
450	45 000	13 700
500	50 000	15 250

2.2 Take-off and Climb

2.2.1

A QNH altimeter setting is made available to aircraft in taxi clearance prior to take-off.

2.2.2

Vertical positioning of aircraft during climb is expressed in terms of altitudes until reaching the transition altitude above which vertical positioning is expressed in terms of flight levels.

2.3 Vertical Separation En-route

2.3.1

Vertical separation of aircraft during en-route flight at and below the transition altitude is expressed in terms of altitude.

2.3.2

Vertical separation of aircraft during en-route flight above the transition altitude is expressed in terms of flight levels.

2.3.3

QNH altimeter setting reports are provided from ATC units to permit determination of terrain clearance with an acceptable degree of accuracy.

2.3.4

At all times, ATC units have available of transmission to aircraft in flight, on request, the information required to determine the lowest flight level which will ensure adequate terrain clearance for routes or segments of routes on which this information is required.

2.4 Approach and Landing

2.4.1

A QNH altimeter setting is made available in approach clearances and in clearances to enter the traffic circuit.

2.4.2

A QFE altimeter setting, clearly identified as such will be provided in approach and landing clearances on request.

2.4.3

Vertical positioning of aircraft during approach is controlled by reference to flight levels until reaching the transition level below which vertical positioning is controlled by reference to altitudes.

Note: This does not preclude a pilot using a QFE setting for terrain clearance purposes during the final approach to the runway.

2.5 Missed Approach

The relevant portions of 2.1.2, 2.2 and 2.4 shall be applied in the event of a missed approach.

3 Description of Altimeter Setting Region

The altimeter setting regions are Noi Bai, Da Nang and Tan Son Nhat. The areas covered by these regions are shown on the Air Traffic Service Airspace ENR 2.

4 Procedures Applicable to Operators (including pilots)

4.1 Flight Planning

4.1.1

The levels at which a flight is to be conducted shall be specified in a flight plan:

In terms of flight levels if the flight is to be conducted at or above the transition level or the lowest usable flight level, whichever applicable; and
In terms of altitudes if the flight is to be conducted in the vicinity of an aerodrome and at or below the transition altitude.

Note 1:

Short flights in the vicinity of an aerodrome may often be conducted only at altitudes below the transition altitude.

Note 2:

Flight levels are specified in a plan by number and not in terms of feet or metres as is the case with altitudes.

4.1.2

The altitudes or flight levels selected for flight:

Shall ensure adequate terrain clearance at all points along the route to be flown;
Shall satisfy air traffic control requirement; and
Shall be compatible with the application of the table of cruising levels as shown in item ENR 1.7.

4.2 TABLE OF CRUSING LEVELS

4.2.1 Non-RVSM — FEET

TRACK
From 000° to 179°						From 180° to 359°
IFR Flights			VFR Flights			IFR Flights			VFR Flights
FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude
FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet
030	900	3 000	035	1 050	3 500	040	1 200	4 000	045	1 350	4 500
050	1 500	5 000	055	1 700	5 500	060	1 850	6 000	065	2 000	6 500
070	2 150	7 000	075	2 300	7 500	080	2 450	8 000	085	2 600	8 500
090	2 750	9 000	095	2 900	9 500	100	3 050	10 000	105	3 200	10 500
110	3 350	11 000	115	3 500	11 500	120	3 650	12 000	125	3 800	12 500
130	3 950	13 000	135	4 100	13 500	140	4 250	14 000	145	4 400	14 500
150	4 550	15 000	155	4 700	15 500	160	4 900	16 000	165	5 050	16 500
170	5 200	17 000	175	5 350	17 500	180	5 500	18 000	185	5 650	18 500
190	5 800	19 000	195	5 950	19 500	200	6 100	20 000	205	6 250	20 500
210	6 400	21 000	215	6 550	21 500	220	6 700	22 000	225	6 850	22 500
230	7 000	23 000	235	7 150	23 500	240	7 300	24 000	245	7 450	24 500
250	7 600	25 000	255	7 750	25 500	260	7 900	26 000	265	8 100	26 500
270	8 250	27 000	275	8 400	27 500	280	8 550	28 000	285	8 700	28 500
290	8 850	29 000	300	9 150	30 000	310	9 450	31 000	320	9 750	32 000
330	10 050	33 000	340	10 350	34 000	350	10 650	35 000	360	10 950	36 000
370	11 300	37 000	380	11 600	38 000	390	11 900	39 000	400	12 200	40 000
410	12 500	41 000	420	12 800	42 000	430	13 100	43 000	440	13 400	44 000
450	13 700	45 000	460	14 000	46 000	470	14 350	47 000	480	14 650	48 000
490	14 950	49 000	500	15 250	50 000	510	15 550	51 000	520	15 850	52 000
etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.

Note 1:

For flights operating on airways between North and South, the aircraft will follow the designated flight levels, not depending on the change of the flight heading on each segment. The details are as follows:

For flight from North to South: Even Flight.
For flight from South to North: Odd Flight.

Note 2:

The implementation of RVSM FLAS from FL290 up to FL410 is applied in accordance with the provisions of Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam.

4.2.2 RVSM — FEET

TRACK
From 000° to 179°						From 180° to 359°
IFR Flights			VFR Flights			IFR Flights			VFR Flights
FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude
FL	Feet	Metres	FL	Feet	Metres	FL	Feet	Metres	FL	Feet	Metres
010	1 000	300				020	2000	600
030	3 000	900	035	3 500	1 050	040	4000	1 200	045	4 500	1 350
050	5 000	1 500	055	5 500	1 700	060	6000	1 850	065	6 500	2 000
070	7 000	2 150	075	7 500	2 300	080	8000	2 450	085	8 500	2 600
090	9 000	2 750	095	9 500	2 900	100	10 000	3 050	105	10 500	3 200
110	11 000	3 350	115	11 500	3 500	120	12 000	3 650	125	12 500	3 800
130	13 000	3 950	135	13 500	4 100	140	14 000	4 250	145	14 500	4 400
150	15 000	4 550	155	15 500	4 700	160	16 000	4 900	165	16 500	5 050
170	17 000	5 200	175	17 500	5 350	180	18 000	5 500	185	18 500	5 650
190	19 000	5 800	195	19 500	5 950	200	20 000	6 100
210	21 000	6 400				220	22 000	6 700
230	23 000	7 000				240	24 000	7 300
250	25 000	7 600				260	26 000	7 900
270	27 000	8 250				280	28 000	8 550
290	29 000	8 850				300	30 000	9 150
310	31 000	9 450				320	32 000	9 750
330	33 000	10 050				340	34 000	10 350
350	35 000	10 650				360	36 000	10 950
370	37 000	11 300				380	38 000	11 600
390	39 000	11 900				400	40 000	12 200
410		12 500				430	43 000	13 100
450		13 700				470	47 000	14 350
490		14 950				510	51 000	15 550
etc.						etc.

TRACK **
From 000° to 179° ***						From 180° to 359° ***
IFR Flights			VFR Flights			IFR Flights			VFR Flights
FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude		FL	Altitude
FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet	FL	Metres	Feet
010	300	1 000				020	600	2 000
030	900	3 000	035	1 050	3 500	040	1 200	3 900	045	1 350	4 500
050	1 500	5 000	055	1 700	5 500	060	1 800	5 900	065	2 000	6 500
070	2 150	7 000	075	2 300	7 500	080	2 400	7 900	085	2 600	8 500
090	2 750	9 000	095	2 900	9 500	100	3 000	9 800	105	3 200	10 500
110	3 350	11 000	115	3 500	11 500	120	3 600	11 800	125	3 800	12 500
130	3 950	13 000	135	4 100	13 500	140	4 200	13 800	145	4 400	14 500
150	4 550	15 000	155	4 700	15 500	160	4 800	15 800	165	5 050	16 500
170	5 200	17 000	175	5 350	17 500	180	5 400	17 800	185	5 650	18 500
190	5 800	19 000	195	5 950	19 500	200	6 000	19 800	205	6 250	20 500
210	6 400	21 000	215	6 550	21 500	220	6 600	21 700	225	6 850	22 500
230	7 000	23 000	235	7 150	23 500	240	7 200	23 600	245	7 450	24 500
250	7 600	25 000	255	7 750	25 500	260	7 800	25 600	265	8 150	26 500
270	8 250	27 000	275	8 400	27 500	280	8 400	27 600	285	8 750	28 500
290	8 850	29 000				300	9 200	30 100
310	9 450	31 000				320	9 800	32 100
330	10 050	33 000				340	10 400	34 100
350	10 650	35 000				360	11 000	36 100
370	11 300	37 000				380	11 600	38 100
390	11 900	39 000				400	12 200	40 100
410	12 500	41 000				430	13 150	43 000
450	13 700	45 000				470	14 550	46 900
490	14 900	49 000				510	15 550	50 900
etc.	etc.	etc.				etc.	etc.	etc.

Notes:

For flights operating on airways between North - South, the aircraft will follow the designated flight levels, not depending on the change of the flight heading on each segment, the details are as follows:

For flight from North to South: Even flight level.
For flight from South to North: Odd flight level.

4.2 RVSM — METRES

In other areas where metres are the primary unit of measurement for altitude:

TRACK **
From 000° to 179° ***						From 180° to 359° ***
IFR Flights			VFR Flights			IFR Flights			VFR Flights
Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude
Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet
0030	300	1 000				0060	600	2 000
0090	900	3 000	0105	1 050	3 500	0120	1 200	3 900	0135	1 350	4 400
0150	1 500	4 900	0165	1 650	5 400	0180	1 800	5 900	0195	1 950	6 400
0210	2 100	6 900	0225	2 250	7 400	0240	2 400	7 900	0255	2 550	8 400
0270	2 700	8 900	0285	2 850	9 400	0300	3 000	9 800	0315	3 150	10 300
0330	3 300	10 800	0345	3 450	11 300	0360	3 600	11 800	0375	3 750	12 300
0390	3 900	12 800	0405	4 050	13 300	0420	4 200	13 800	0435	4 350	14 300
0450	4 500	14 800	0465	4 650	15 300	0480	4 800	15 800	0495	4 950	16 200
0510	5 100	16 700	0525	5 250	17 200	0540	5 400	17 800	0555	5 550	18 200
0570	5 700	18 700	0585	5 850	19 200	0600	6 000	19 800	0615	6 150	20 200
0630	6 300	20 700	0645	6 450	21 200	0660	6 600	21 700	0675	6 750	22 100
0690	6 900	22 600	0705	7 050	23 100	0720	7 200	23 600	0735	7 350	24 100
0750	7 500	24 600	0765	7 650	25 100	0780	7 800	25 600	0795	7 950	26 100
0810	8 100	26 600	0825	8 250	27 100	0840	8 400	27 600	0855	8 550	28 100
0890	8 900	29 100	0920	9 200	30 100	0950	9 200	30 100	0908	9 800	32 100
1010	10 100	33 100	1040	10 400	34 100	1070	10 400	34 100	1100	11 000	36 100
1130	11 300	37 100	1160	11 600	38 100	1190	11 600	38 100	1220	12 200	40 100
1250	12 500	41 100	1280	12 800	42 100	1310	13 150	43 000	1370	13 400	44 100
1370	13 700	44 900	1400	14 000	46 100	1430	14 550	46 900	1460	14 600	47 900
1490	14 900	48 900	1250	15 200	49 900	1550	15 550	50 900	1580	15 800	51 900
etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.	etc.

* Magnetic track, or in polar areas at latitudes higher than 70 degrees and within such extensions to those areas as may be prescribed by the appropriate ATS authorities, grid tracks as determined by a network of lines parallel to the Greenwich Meridian superimposed on a polar stereographic chart in which the direction towards the North Pole is employed as the Grid North.

** Except where, on the basis of regional air navigation agreements, from 090 to 269 degrees and from 270 to 089 degrees is prescribed to accommodate predominant traffic directions and appropriate transition procedures to be associated therewith are specified.

Note:

Guidance material relating to vertical separation is contained in the Manual on Implementation of a 300m (1 000ft) Vertical Separation Minimum Between FL 290 and FL 410 Inclusive (Doc 9574).

4.2 Non-RVSM — METRES

In areas where metres are used for altitude and where, in accordance with regional air navigation agreements, a vertical separation minimum of 300m is applied between 8 900m and 12 500m inclusive.

TRACK **
From 000° to 179° ***						From 180° to 359° ***
IFR Flights			VFR Flights			IFR Flights			VFR Flights
Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude		Standard Metric	Altitude
Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet	Standard Metric	Metres	Feet
0030	300	1 000				0060	600	2 000
0090	900	3 000	0105	1 050	3 500	0120	1 200	3 900	0135	1 350	4 400
0150	1 500	4 900	0165	1 650	5 400	0180	1 800	5 900	0195	1 950	6 400
0210	2 100	6 900	0225	2 250	7 400	0240	2 400	7 900	0255	2 550	8 400
0270	2 700	8 900	0285	2 850	9 400	0300	3 000	9 800	0315	3 150	10 300
0330	3 300	10 800	0345	3 450	11 300	0360	3 600	11 800	0375	3 750	12 300
0390	3 900	12 800	0405	4 050	13 300	0420	4 200	13 800	0435	4 350	14 300
0450	4 500	14 800	0465	4 650	15 300	0480	4 800	15 800	0495	4 950	16 200
0510	5 100	16 700	0525	5 250	17 200	0540	5 400	17 800	0555	5 550	18 200
0570	5 700	18 700	0585	5 850	19 200	0600	6 000	19 800	0615	6 150	20 200
0630	6 300	20 700	0645	6 450	21 200	0660	6 600	21 700	0675	6 750	22 100
0690	6 900	22 600	0705	7 050	23 100	0720	7 200	23 600	0735	7 350	24 100
0750	7 500	24 600	0765	7 650	25 100	0780	7 800	25 600	0795	7 950	26 100
0810	8 100	26 600	0825	8 250	27 100	0840	8 400	27 600	0855	8 550	28 100
0890	8 900	29 100				0950	9 200	30 100
1010	10 100	33 100				1070	10 400	34 100
1130	11 300	37 100				1190	11 600	38 100
1250	12 500	41 100				1310	13 150	43 000
1370	13 700	44 900				1430	14 550	46 900
1490	14 900	48 900				1550	15 550	50 900
etc.	etc.	etc.				etc.	etc.	etc.

* Except when, on the basis of regional air navigation agreements, a modified table of cruising levels based on a nominal vertical separation minimum of 1 000ft (300m) is prescribed for use, under specified conditions, by aircraft operating above FL 410 within designated portions of the airspace.

** Magnetic track, or in polar areas at latitudes higher than 70 degrees and within such extensions to those areas as may be prescribed by the appropriate ATS authorities, grid tracks as determined by a network of lines parallel to the Greenwich Meridian superimposed on a polar stereographic chart in which the direction towards the North Pole is employed as the Grid North.

*** Except where, on the basis of regional air navigation agreements, from 090 to 269 degrees and from 270 to 089 degrees is prescribed to accommodate predominant traffic directions and appropriate transition procedures to be associated therewith are specified.

Note: Guidance material relating to vertical separation is contained in the Manual on Implementation of a 300m (1 000ft) Vertical Separation Minimum between FL 290 and FL 410 inclusive (Doc 9574).