Absolute altitude

• A. height above the surface (AGL)
• B. Height above mean sea level
• C. Pressure altitude
• D. Indicated altitude

Answer: (A)

Absolute altitude is the vertical distance from the aircraft to the surface directly beneath it. In other words, it’s the height above the terrain, often referred to as height above ground level (AGL). This differs from height above mean sea level, which measures from sea level upward, and from pressure altitude or the altimeter reading, which depend on pressure settings and reference surfaces rather than the actual terrain below. For example, if the ground under you is at 6,000 ft MSL and you’re 2,000 ft above that terrain, your absolute altitude is 2,000 ft AGL, while your altitude above sea level would be 8,000 ft.