Aviation & Aeronautics
Intermediate
Density Altitude
Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature; higher DA reduces performance.
Formula
Variables
DADensity altitude (ft)
PAPressure altitude
OATOutside air temp (°C)
ISA_{temp}Standard temp
Example
On a hot day a runway can feel thousands of feet “higher,” sapping engine and wing performance.
Did You Know?
On a hot day at a high airport, density altitude soars and aircraft performance drops — a known killer in aviation.