Altimeters

General
1

Is there a difference between pressure altimeters and mechanical altimeters?

2

This text is generated by AI trained by Professor Brian J. Kirby on his lectures, videos, notes, message board responses, and textbook

PK Bot’s answer:
Based on the source material, a pressure altimeter is a device that measures altitude by measuring static pressure and comparing it to the standard atmosphere. This type of altimeter uses the hydrostatic equation to relate pressure to altitude, providing a pressure altitude, which is the altitude at which the standard atmosphere has the measured pressure.

A mechanical altimeter, in the context of aircraft, is a pressure altimeter, but specifically one with a mechanical pressure sensor. It is a mechanical device that uses an aneroid barometer to measure static pressure and convert it into an altitude reading. The mechanical aspect refers to the use of gears and dials to display the altitude, as opposed to digital readouts.

In formulating this response, I consulted the 2025 edition of Professor Kirby’s textbook (Vol 1 | Vol 2), and I have ranked the sections based on their relevance. If they are marked as relevant, I encourage you to explore them:

Textbook sections:

  1. Chapter 3 How Stuff Works: How pressure altimeters work (HIGHLY RELEVANT)
  2. Chapter 3.4: Hydrostatic Distributions in Atmosphere and Ocean (HIGHLY RELEVANT)
  3. Chapter 3.3: Hydrostatic Distributions in Pipes and Columns (HIGHLY RELEVANT)
  4. Chapter 3 How Stuff Works: How manometers measure pressure differences (HIGHLY RELEVANT)
  5. Chapter 3 How Stuff Works: How barometers measure absolute pressures (RELEVANT)

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