Altimeter Temperature Error Correction Calculator
Calculate cold-weather altimeter correction so true altitude never falls below your minimum.
Last reviewed by the myCalculator Editorial Team
Input Parameters
Correction is only required when the temperature is below ISA for the aerodrome elevation.
Leave at the default to derive it from the indicated altitude minus aerodrome elevation.
Calculation Results
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Formula & How Altimeter Temperature Error Correction Calculator Works
A pressure altimeter is calibrated to the International Standard Atmosphere. In air colder than ISA the atmosphere is denser and pressure levels sit lower, so the altimeter over-reads and the aircraft is genuinely lower than indicated — the origin of the maxim "high to low, look out below". The error grows with both height above the altimeter setting source and the size of the ISA deviation, approximately 4 feet per 1000 feet per degree Celsius below ISA. Worked example: an aerodrome at 500 ft elevation has an ISA temperature of about 14°C. If the temperature is −20°C the deviation is −34°C. For an altitude 2,500 ft above the aerodrome the correction is about 4 × 2.5 × 34 = 340 ft, so you must fly 340 ft higher than the published altitude to be at the true height. Apply the correction to the minimum altitudes in the procedure, and follow the cold weather altimeter correction procedures in your operations manual or AIP.
- Enter Indicated / Published Altitude (ft) (ft): Input your target parameter value.
- Enter Aerodrome Temperature (°C) (°C): Input your target parameter value.
- Enter Aerodrome Elevation (ft) (ft): Input your target parameter value.
- Enter Height Above Aerodrome (ft) (ft): Input your target parameter value.
- Apply Formula: Calculate using
Correction ≈ 4 × Height Above Aerodrome (per 1000 ft) × ISA Deviation (°C) / 1000. - Review Results: View exact computed answers, metrics, and worked mathematical proofs.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is altimeter temperature correction mandatory?
ICAO requires correction when the aerodrome temperature is below ISA and terrain or obstacle clearance is critical, which in practice means cold-weather instrument approaches and minimum sector altitudes.
How much altitude error does cold weather cause?
Roughly 4 feet per 1000 feet above the altimeter source per degree Celsius below ISA. At -20 °C, an aircraft indicating 2500 ft above the aerodrome is around 250 ft lower than it reads.
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Authoritative Standards & Verified Reference Citations
Calculations and mathematical logic on this page are grounded in published statutory rules, regulatory standards, and official government data published by the following bodies:
CASR Part 91 general operating and flight rules, Part 121 fuel reserves, and flight crew licensing standards.
Aviation weather services, standard atmosphere (ISA) profiles, METAR/TAF aerodrome weather reports.
Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), En Route Supplement Australia (ERSA), and airspace procedures.
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