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Feature request: Current elevation


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Gax
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"But I don't know if the elevation Database is included in the Ipad and Android versions, that may be the problem perhaps."

It would have to be, otherwise it wouldn't be able to calculate height
guille
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drnicolas - 11/9/2017 3:16:25 PM
guille - 11/9/2017 9:05:35 AM
Gax - 8/24/2016 12:52:10 PM
Yes, that is what I currently do, but it means a lot of constant tapping and an extra equation, and when flying low level I'd rather minimise the workload and keep both hands on controls. Would also be useful for a few of the air racers out there that need to maintain a certain minimum height. I love SD, but find that getting any sort of current or spot elevations a frequent issue.Is it something that could maybe be considered but turned off by default?

I agree with this request: when flying low, it is necessary to have a good precision concerning height, and getting directly the elevation of terrain would be great. Frequently I check the altitude measured by SkyDemon and by my altimeter and the differences are quite important.


Are you sure, that this can be achieved by a Software like SD?
At first we Need a exact terrain-altitude-database with a small grid (see ckurz7000). Is that available? Second we need a good (true) altitude readout. AFAIK, plain old GPS is not a precise source for this. Is WAAS suitable for this? What about GALILEO?

From the IFR Point of view all  DAs für RNAV approaches  are sginificantly ‌‌‌higher than ILS and that is for LPV!
Take EDVK:
DA for ILS27 is 947 feet, while LOC27 is 1340ft - 400ft difference!
For GPS, the LNAV MDA is 1340 (like LOC-Approach);
with Support from your barometric altitude it is 1210ft - and that is temperature limited!‌‌‌‌

Best GPS DA is for LPV27 with ~1100ft - even 160ft worse than ILS!
I guess, the guys who made the approaches know, why GPS Needs significantly higher Minimums !

Can the barometric pressure sensor of the latest iPads (my mini 4 has one) be a solution ? I think not! It is not connected to a valid static port, it's inside the cabin. Just try what happens if you Switch to  the alternate static source of your aircraft - it jumps up about 80ft or more!

Okay. We are talking about VFR-sight-seeing, so this all may be tolerable‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

I think SD has a good database concerning elevation. It can be clearly seen on the computer when preparing flights. And the idea is to use this database, combined with the horizontal position, that is also quite precise with the GPS included both in IPAD or ANDROID devices. The altitude of the barometric altimeter is also precise. So, if we combine the good altitude from the barometric altimeter with the good elevation from SD a simple substraction provides a quite good indication of height. Why not ? Some years ago I used a French software called NAVI that had this possibility and it was really useful. The button for time now has four indications ! and is very useful. Why not three for the altitude-height button ? But I don't know if the elevation Database is included in the Ipad and Android versions, that may be the problem perhaps.

drnicolas
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guille - 11/9/2017 9:05:35 AM
Gax - 8/24/2016 12:52:10 PM
Yes, that is what I currently do, but it means a lot of constant tapping and an extra equation, and when flying low level I'd rather minimise the workload and keep both hands on controls. Would also be useful for a few of the air racers out there that need to maintain a certain minimum height. I love SD, but find that getting any sort of current or spot elevations a frequent issue.Is it something that could maybe be considered but turned off by default?

I agree with this request: when flying low, it is necessary to have a good precision concerning height, and getting directly the elevation of terrain would be great. Frequently I check the altitude measured by SkyDemon and by my altimeter and the differences are quite important.


Are you sure, that this can be achieved by a Software like SD?
At first we Need a exact terrain-altitude-database with a small grid (see ckurz7000). Is that available? Second we need a good (true) altitude readout. AFAIK, plain old GPS is not a precise source for this. Is WAAS suitable for this? What about GALILEO?

From the IFR Point of view all  DAs für RNAV approaches  are sginificantly ‌‌‌higher than ILS and that is for LPV!
Take EDVK:
DA for ILS27 is 947 feet, while LOC27 is 1340ft - 400ft difference!
For GPS, the LNAV MDA is 1340 (like LOC-Approach);
with Support from your barometric altitude it is 1210ft - and that is temperature limited!‌‌‌‌

Best GPS DA is for LPV27 with ~1100ft - even 160ft worse than ILS!
I guess, the guys who made the approaches know, why GPS Needs significantly higher Minimums !

Can the barometric pressure sensor of the latest iPads (my mini 4 has one) be a solution ? I think not! It is not connected to a valid static port, it's inside the cabin. Just try what happens if you Switch to  the alternate static source of your aircraft - it jumps up about 80ft or more!

Okay. We are talking about VFR-sight-seeing, so this all may be tolerable‌‌‌‌‌‌‌
guille
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Gax - 8/24/2016 12:52:10 PM
Yes, that is what I currently do, but it means a lot of constant tapping and an extra equation, and when flying low level I'd rather minimise the workload and keep both hands on controls. Would also be useful for a few of the air racers out there that need to maintain a certain minimum height. I love SD, but find that getting any sort of current or spot elevations a frequent issue.Is it something that could maybe be considered but turned off by default?

I agree with this request: when flying low, it is necessary to have a good precision concerning height, and getting directly the elevation of terrain would be great. Frequently I check the altitude measured by SkyDemon and by my altimeter and the differences are quite important.

ckurz7000
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I wonder how useful an elevation read out really would be. There are different resolution elevation data available. If the data has a resolution of about 1 km x 1km then it isn't very useful at all. It could actually be potentially dangerous. You'd need it at least in a 10 times better resolution, like 100 m x 100 m. But that increases file size a 100 fold. That said, the best available elevation data has a resolution of 30 m x 30 m and is accurate to about +/- 10 m.

-- Ch‌‌ris.

Edited 12/1/2016 8:32:01 AM by ckurz7000
rogerabc
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I've only just spotted this thread & for a long time have wanted to see spot heights on the top of high ground as shown on CAA half mil paper chart. Have you considered emailing out a questionnaire for desired features?
On the subject of terrain clearance, I'd like to be able to set my own colours & thresholds for terrainsafe.
Many thanks for the great product.


T67M
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Tim Dawson - 8/24/2016 3:31:24 PM
Of course we will consider it, but I'm afraid we can't add stuff like this to SkyDemon unless lots of people want it. Hopefully other people will chime in with their feedback on this thread.

I can see one other use for an elevation instrument - to assist instructors during PFL sessions with judging the 500' point without relying on the notoriously inaccurate GPS altitude data.
Gax
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Fair enough! I'll ask around some other ppl and see what they think
Tim Dawson
Tim Dawson
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Of course we will consider it, but I'm afraid we can't add stuff like this to SkyDemon unless lots of people want it. Hopefully other people will chime in with their feedback on this thread.
Gax
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Yes, that is what I currently do, but it means a lot of constant tapping and an extra equation, and when flying low level I'd rather minimise the workload and keep both hands on controls. Would also be useful for a few of the air racers out there that need to maintain a certain minimum height.

I love SD, but find that getting any sort of current or spot elevations a frequent issue.

Is it something that could maybe be considered but turned off by default?
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