Which term is defined as the distance between the aircraft and the ground?

Which term is defined as the distance between the aircraft and the ground?

• A. Height
• B. Elevation
• C. Altitude
• D. Flight level

Answer: (A)

The distance between the aircraft and the ground is height. In aviation, height refers to how high the aircraft is above the surface (often called height above ground level, or AGL). This is different from altitude, which is the vertical distance above mean sea level (MSL) and is what the barometric altimeter indicates. Elevation is the height of the ground itself above MSL, not the aircraft. A flight level is a standardized pressure altitude used at higher altitudes. Radar altimeters measure height above ground and are especially important during low-altitude operations like approach and landing. So, the term that defines distance from the aircraft to the ground is height.

The distance between the aircraft and the ground is height. In aviation, height refers to how high the aircraft is above the surface (often called height above ground level, or AGL). This is different from altitude, which is the vertical distance above mean sea level (MSL) and is what the barometric altimeter indicates. Elevation is the height of the ground itself above MSL, not the aircraft. A flight level is a standardized pressure altitude used at higher altitudes. Radar altimeters measure height above ground and are especially important during low-altitude operations like approach and landing. So, the term that defines distance from the aircraft to the ground is height.