Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Transition Alt/Level

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

lumax

Well-known member
Joined
May 5, 2002
Posts
206
For the ATC experts,

some foreign airports have different transition level and altitudes. For example, TA is 5900' and TL is 100. Are the altitudes in between unusable? Is there a time when they are assigned or can be used?

Thanks
 
as a general rule the difference tends to be 1500' and normally " unuseable"
 
Where there are different transition altitudes and levels, ATC may use the altitudes in between and assign lateral/horizontal separation instead of vertical separation, but as stated by GF, they usually don't use this space, normaly you will see two different transition levels depicted on the charts and its use is contingent to the current altimeter setting. Hong Kong for example has a transition altitude of 9,000FT and a transition level of FL110 for 980hpa and above and FL120 for 979hpa and bellow.

PS: far from an TAC expert mind you, just been flying under ICAO for a while
 
Last edited:
For the ATC experts,

some foreign airports have different transition level and altitudes. For example, TA is 5900' and TL is 100. Are the altitudes in between unusable? Is there a time when they are assigned or can be used?

Thanks

All foreign airports have a different Transition Level TL, and Transition Altitude
TA. Transition Altitude is used for departure, Transition Level is used for arrival. Transition Altitude is on your Jepp chart, Transition level is assigned by ATC. Normally on the ATIS. Just listen to what the ATC controller says. On arrival if the controller says you are cleared to four thousand feet on the QNH of 1022 you should change your altimeter setting to 1022 and descend to 4000'. If the departure controller says you are cleared to Seven Zero you are cleared to FL70 and you should change your altimeter to 1013.2 and climb to FL70.The only caution is that if the QNH is below 1013.2 you should not change your altimeter until you call "flaps up". This will avoid the problem of cleaning up early and getting a noise violation.
 
Last edited:
All foreign airports have a different Transition Level TL, and Transition Altitude
TA. Transition Altitude is used for departure, Transition Level is used for arrival. Transition Altitude is on your Jepp chart, Transition level is assigned by ATC. Normally on the ATIS. Just listen to what the ATC controller says. On arrival if the controller says you are cleared to four thousand feet on the QNH of 1022 you should change your altimeter setting to 1022 and descend to 4000'. If the departure controller says you are cleared to Seven Zero you are cleared to FL70 and you should change your altimeter to 1013.2 and climb to FL70.The only caution is that if the QNH is below 1013.2 you should not change your altimeter until you call "flaps up". This will avoid the problem of cleaning up early and getting a noise violation.


Transition Level is not always assigned by ATC, depends on the country.
 
Not that it was questioned in this thread, but for anybody reading this and get mixed up between the two. Transition Alt. = CLIMBING The A in Alt points up. Transition Level = DECENT The V in Level points Down. Just a trick that helped me

Steel
 
Last edited:

Latest resources

Back
Top