What will the altimeter read if set to 29.92 at an airport with 2,000 feet field elevation?

When an altimeter is set to 29.92 inches of mercury (inHg), it reads the elevation above mean sea level (MSL) based on standard atmospheric pressure. If an airport has a field elevation of 2,000 feet and the altimeter is set to 29.92 inHg, it means the altimeter is adjusted to a standard pressure setting.

In this scenario, when the altimeter is set to 29.92 inHg, it reflects the altitude of the aircraft or ground level relative to MSL rather than the actual field elevation. To calculate the indicated altitude on the altimeter at that field elevation:

1. At sea level pressure (29.92 inHg), the altimeter is calibrated to show the altitude directly. Since the field elevation of the airport is 2,000 feet MSL, if one were to be flying at the indicated altitude based on the altimeter reading 29.92 inHg, the height would be adjusted accordingly.

2. As a result, when the altimeter reads 2,000 feet set at 29.92 inHg, it effectively translates to an altitude of 1,920 feet MSL. This is because the standard atmospheric pressure is lower than