XPost: alt.sci.physics, aus.aviation.airspace, alt.aviation.safety 
 From: junk.deger@earthlink.net 
  
 "Pooh Bear"  wrote in message 
 news:3F0F830D.3E7B29FD@hotmail.com... 
 > 
 > 
 > Danny Deger wrote: 
 > 
 > > I would like information on the use of units in aviation.  I was a US 
 Air 
 > > Force pilot, and am a NASA engineer.  I have always used US unit (feet 
 for 
 > > altitude, knots for speed, etc.). 
 > 
 > Actually - to be accurate - they are *British* units as adopted by the US. 
  
 Yes I know, but aren't the British metric now :-) 
  
 > 
 > > Is this true throughout international airspace? 
 > 
 > Pretty much. Only the former Soviet Union and its satellite states adopted 
 > metric measures for aviation navigation. 
 > 
 > >  I flew in Germany for two 
 > > flights and recalled using feet and knots.  Is this true for a French 
 > > airliner flying in French airspace -- will they use feet and knots? 
 Being 
 > > assigned an altitude in meters, but flying in feet would obviously be 
 really 
 > > bad. 
 > 
 > It certainly would. See the accident report of a Saudia 747  midair with a 
 > Kazakh ? freighter over India. You should be able to google it. 
 > 
 > > Danny Deger 
 > 
 > Regds,        Graham 
 > 
 > 
  
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