On Aug 11, 3:49*pm, C Gattman wrote:
On Aug 10, 12:41*pm, john89 wrote:

I got a question regarding the so-called "elevation", i.e. the highest
point of a runway. I have been told that the elevation is usually at
the threshold, right before the touchdown zone, in order to ensure an
easier take-off.

This information is available to pilots and updated periodically in
the Airport/Facilities Directory and the US Terminal Procedures, etc.

The A/FD defines it's "elevation" figure as "the highest point of an
airport's usable runways measured in feet from mean sea level." *In
addition, the A/FD lists runway slope when it is .3 or greater for
airports that have instrument approaches and elaborates based on other
runway criteria ( or than 8000', etc)

For IFR purposes, the A/FD and approach plates include a Touchdown
Zone Elevation (TDZE) for specific runways.

Pilots, particular under IFR, are expected to be familiar with runways
of intended use and, if required, alternate airports. We're strongly
encouraged to study other airports along the route in case we need to
divert. Cheers!

-Chris
CFI, KTTD

I must qualify for 'least sensitive' pilot here. I've made a number of
landings with Wx close to minimums, nasty weather, cross winds, night
time, and all that stuff. When I look up at minimums and see VASI and
runway locater lights and all that good stuff, I'm real happy to go
down the last couple of hundred feet, flare, and become earthbound
again. From the moment I go visual I really don't care what the actual
altitude of the runway I'm approaching is, I can see it, and know what
I have to do to fly the miss if needed. Does it really matter if it's
at 469 feet, or 500, at that point to those of us messing around in
SELs like Mooneys? What am I missing here? Even if a CAT 3 landing
(not in MY airplane!) the radar altimeter controls yoke back pressure
at flare, doesn't it? It's looking at actual wheels to ground
distances, not some indirect measure like "corrected altimeter
subtract field elevation equals air between wheels and ground.

The other minor blimp in all of this is I set the kollsman window,
then verify the altitude indication is within specification of
published altitude. The difference in altitude between the reference
datum and my static tube could be pretty significant -- something I
had not thought about before. 20 feet eats up a lot of a 50 foot error
budget.