I posted a query on the Usenet group eunet.aviation and got the following reply: ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... >> I'd appreciate it if people could tell me the usage of metric units v. >> imperial units for aviation across Europe. I've heard conflicting >> stories about what instrumentation is used, what is used in speaking >> different languages, etc. I'm also interested in the historical >> perspective of how things have changed/are changing. > >The International Civil Aviation Organization table of units is: > >Navigation distances nautical miles >Short distances (e.g. runway length) metres >Altitudes metres >Speeds knots >Vertical speed metres per second >Directions degrees >Visibility metres >Altimeter setting millibars (hectopascal) >Temperature deg Celsius >Weight (sic) tonnes or kg >Time hours and minutes > >Many countries (e.g. most of W Europe) use the 'blue table' as above except: >Altitudes feet >Vertical speed feet per minute > >Within Europe, only the former Eastern Bloc uses metres for altitude, and >many of their systems/regulations have adjusted to using the Blue Table for >conformity with W Europe. As a consequence, theory and practice may be at >odds! > >I don't know of any other changes or trends -- there's certainly no move >away from feet and nm as too much equipment is calibrated in those units and >too many systems depend on them. > >Julian Scarfe >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- Metrication information: http://www.metric.org.uk/ UK legislation, EC Directives, Trading Standards links and more Pro-metric mailing list now available.
