Altitude Determination - Considerations for Safety
Use other methods for determining your altitude
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
to ALWAYS USE OTHER METHODS in addition to an
altimeter to determine the current situation, use common sense, and act appropriately-
Some methods are listed below:
• Learn to visually judge the distance from the ground.
• Check your second altimeter.
• Listen for your audible altimeter.
• If other jumpers in your group pull, this may indicate a low altitude or other
danger.
Altimeter accuracy during maneuvers
WARNING
Altimeters may give erroneous readings if you are tumbling or the altimeter is in a
burble (wake), such as when sit flying or sky surfing. Chest mount altimeters are
more vulnerable to this problem. If you are in doubt about how this limitation
affects your skydiving, consult a licensed instructor.
DZ at high elevation
If your DZ is located at a high elevation, you may notice that the accuracy of your
Altimaster decreases dramatically at higher altitudes. This occurs when you exceed the
linear operating range of the unit which is a function of MSL altitude, not AGL. As an
example, consider the following situation:
Altimaster altimeter with 0-17,000 ft MSL operating range
DZ elevation is 5,000 ft MSL
When your altitude exceeds 13,000 ft AGL (18,000 ft MSL) the accuracy of the altimeter
may decrease rapidly. This is normal and will not cause damage to your Altimaster. This
effect will also be evident when making high altitude jumps from any DZ.
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