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Density altitude conversion graphs

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Weather

I have looked at different density altitude conversion charts and even the FAA one but noticed something that I don't understand.  If standard temperature is 15C at sea level, why does the "standard temperature" line on the graphs do not end at 15C on the x-axis?  Some end at around 16C and some I saw fall a little farther than 16C.

 

 

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2 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Jun 02, 2022

    I’d need you to point to a graph to know what you are talking about.

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  2. Jeff Baum on Jun 02, 2022

    Well, the first one I looked at was one from the “Roswell Flight Test Crew”, so maybe it has to do with aliens mucking around with our atmospherics?

    Actually, looking at the FAAST Density Altitude Graph, the “Standard Temperature” reference line does begin at 16°C. But it intersects with the Sea Level Pressure Altitude line at 15°C which is ISA for Sea Level. So does the one referenced by AOPA, Flying Magazine and FAATest just to name a few.

    Yes, there are some that show the Sea Level Pressure line intersecting the Standard Temperature line above 15°C. It’s probably just poor attention to detail when whomever created their own graph. One example of a graph showing Seal Level Pressure Altitude intersecting with the Standard Temperature line at about 16° (or more) is on Quora.

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