Density Altitude Calculator
Enter your field elevation, altimeter setting, and outside air temperature to get pressure altitude and density altitude — the number that drives your takeoff and climb performance.
Pressure altitude
1,800 ft
Density altitude
3,363 ft
Estimates use the standard formulas (PA = elevation + (29.92 − altimeter) × 1,000; DA adds ~120 ft per °C above standard). Always use your POH performance charts for go/no-go decisions.
What is density altitude?
Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for temperature — the altitude your airplane performs as if it were at. On a hot day at a high-elevation airport, the thin air means the wings make less lift, the prop bites less, and the engine makes less power, so your takeoff roll is longer and your climb is weaker. It's a frequent FAA written-test topic and a real-world accident cause.
How it's calculated
Pressure altitude = field elevation + (29.92 − altimeter setting) × 1,000. Density altitude then adds roughly 120 ft per °C above the standard temperature for that pressure altitude. Use your POH performance charts for actual go/no-go numbers.
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