What the profile screens for
Pressure altitude or flight level departs from the selected or cleared-altitude reference available to the programme.
Why it matters
Altitude deviation can reduce vertical separation and may reflect mode, input, communication, or aircraft-performance issues.
Build the event around relationships—not one number.
Define the operating context
Identify the cruise state, aircraft configuration, location, and any required external data before applying logic.
Screen the signal relationship
Use validated combinations of pressure altitude, selected altitude, autoflight mode; avoid treating one isolated value as the whole event.
Confirm it is a genuine event
Check polarity, units, source, recording rate, dropouts, air/ground logic, persistence, and false-positive mechanisms.
Connect data to the safety question
Review procedures, reports, weather, airport and traffic context, exposure, recurrence, and the strength of the related barriers.
Recorded signals that may help explain the event.
Vertical speed
The aircraft's vertical rate. Different recorded sources and smoothing can produce materially different values, especially during flare and touchdown.
Open parameter guide ↗discrete / modeAutopilot status
Engagement and mode states for automatic flight-control systems; useful analysis normally needs more than a single on/off bit.
Open parameter guide ↗Questions before conclusions
- Q1
Are pressure altitude, selected altitude, autoflight mode valid, correctly decoded, time-aligned, and sampled well enough for this event?
- Q2
What changed immediately before, during, and after the cruise altitude deviation indication?
- Q3
How do aircraft configuration, weather, airport geometry, automation state, and crew reports change the interpretation?
- Q4
Which current flight manual, SOP, maintenance, or operator event definition controls the final conclusion?
Safety topics that broaden the event review.
Mode awareness
Understanding selected, armed, active, reverted, and degraded flight-guidance modes and whether they will produce the intended path.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-033 · Aircraft control & automationManual flying proficiency
The knowledge, practice, sensory cues, monitoring, and aircraft-handling skills needed when automation is reduced, inappropriate, or unavailable.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-051 · Powerplant & fuelEngine failure in flight
Loss or severe degradation of propulsion after liftoff, including aircraft control, diagnosis, restart, shutdown, diversion, and landing considerations.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-054 · Powerplant & fuelBird ingestion
Engine or propulsive-system effects following bird or wildlife ingestion, from transient parameter change to damage, failure, or rejected takeoff.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-058 · Powerplant & fuelFuel contamination
Water, microbes, particulates, incorrect fuel, chemicals, or other contaminants that can affect engines, tanks, filters, sensors, and fuel delivery.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-059 · Powerplant & fuelEDTO fuel planning
Fuel strategy for extended diversion operations, including critical fuel scenarios, alternates, weather, system status, and diversion time.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-101 · ATM, navigation & airspaceLoss of separation
Reduction below applicable aircraft separation minima, including detection, communication, maneuvering, recovery, and systemic contributors.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-103 · ATM, navigation & airspaceLevel bust
Unauthorized or unintended deviation from an assigned, cleared, or procedure altitude or flight level and the barriers that should catch it.
Open topic profile ↗SAT-108 · ATM, navigation & airspaceRadio communication loss
Partial or complete loss of air-ground voice communication, including detection, troubleshooting, expected routing, surveillance, and restoration.
Open topic profile ↗Windshear and Microburst
Recognize rapid changes in wind vector and the resulting airspeed, path, thrust, and vertical-energy effects close to the ground.
Open topic brief ↗Aircraft SystemsFlight-Deck Automation
Use mode awareness, active monitoring, and aircraft-response verification to keep automation aligned with crew intent.
Open topic brief ↗Aircraft SystemsEngine Failure and Thrust Loss
Separate commanded thrust, actual engine response, system effects, and crew management across partial, asymmetric, and complete thrust-loss events.
Open topic brief ↗12 useful starting points
Terminology and topic relationships select these links; the publisher source remains authoritative.
SAFO 14002 — SAFO 14002, Global Positioning System ( GPS )/Global Navigation Satellite System ( GNSS ) Navigator/Autopilot Compatibility
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for flight controls and automation and navigation and surveillance. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 10021 — Adverse Levels of Porous Coke for All Engine and Oil Combinations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for powerplant. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 08005 — Preflight of helicopter hydraulic systems to include validation of control movement smoothness and identification of adverse flight control “stick-jump.”
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for flight controls and automation and airworthiness and systems. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 08015 — Preflight check of helicopter hydraulic systems to include validation of control movement smoothness and identification of adverse flight control “stick-jump”
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for flight controls and automation and airworthiness and systems. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 06017 — Equipment Training and Checking for Helicopter Operators on the SPZ-7000 or SPZ-7600 Dual Digital Automatic Flight Control Systems
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for flight controls and automation and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 05002 — Multiple full deflection, alternating flight control inputs
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for flight controls and automation. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceA380 Development of the Flight Controls
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for aviation safety. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceDual Side Stick Inputs
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for flight controls and automation. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceEngine Relight After an All-engine Flameout
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for powerplant. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceEngine Thrust Management – Thrust Setting at Takeoff
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for takeoff and powerplant. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceInadvertent Autopilot Engagement during Takeoff on A220 Aircraft
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for takeoff and flight controls and automation. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceInappropriate V/S Target during Autoflight Mode Reversion
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for flight controls and automation. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official source