Why is there no stock AGL?

[annallia]

I know we have mods that do this already. MechJeb offers your "true altitude" (which is improperly named) and there was another mod I saw the other day steam gauges or something of that sort that had an AGL.

But despite them being readily available from mods I have to wonder. Why no stock AGL? Wouldn't this be a common sense tool to build in with the advent of planes? As well as landing on non-atmospheric bodies like... well most of the planets/moons in the game?

Edit- Parachutes do show that the available data is already being used. As an example your altimeter will read say 2500 meters when they deploy if you are over land that is at least 2000 meters above sea level.

[Richy teh space man]

I'm assuming AGL is some kind of radar altitude measurer..

If so, then they are in some stock cockpits, you can see them on internal views, but I agree they would be better off outside of the cockpit.

[42undead2]

It is inside some cockpits. I don't know why it isn't shown on the HUD though.

[annallia]

I'm assuming AGL is some kind of radar altitude measurer..

If so, then they are in some stock cockpits, you can see them on internal views, but I agree they would be better off outside of the cockpit.

Correct, radar or laser or whatever means, it gives your altitude over the terrain rather than true altitude (which is mean altitude above sea level and is why mechjebs is improperly named).

[eurybaric]

Yeah there is a radar altimeter in most IVAs but it only starts working when you're <=5000m.

[lammatt]

in the IVA

the flight computer offers the radar altitude

[Subbota]

Yeah there is a radar altimeter in most IVAs but it only starts working when you're <=5000m.

Which is a big improvement over the 2500 ft you get in real aircraft.

[Dewm]

Would be nice to have.

To many ships have I crashed because it looked like I could go another 200 meters... but it was only 50 metres till that giant hill.

:/

[m4v]

Which is a big improvement over the 2500 ft you get in real aircraft.

Why is an improvement? you want to know how far you're from hitting the ground when you're close to it, not when you're 5k over it which at that point the atm altimeter is more relevant. The current radar altimeter is almost useless when doing a landing from IVA because it doesn't have enough resolution at low altitudes.

[annallia]

Why is an improvement? you want to know how far you're from hitting the ground when you're close to it, not when you're 5k over it which at that point the atm altimeter is more relevant. The current radar altimeter is almost useless when doing a landing from IVA because it doesn't have enough resolution at low altitudes.

It can take time to slow down, 15000 ft would be a great place to start considering that 2500ft can go by in a blink if you are falling at terminal velocity.

[rpayne88]

I'm assuming AGL is some kind of radar altitude measurer..

If so, then they are in some stock cockpits, you can see them on internal views, but I agree they would be better off outside of the cockpit.

AGL: Above Ground Level

[Danerdygeek]

Why is an improvement? you want to know how far you're from hitting the ground when you're close to it, not when you're 5k over it which at that point the atm altimeter is more relevant. The current radar altimeter is almost useless when doing a landing from IVA because it doesn't have enough resolution at low altitudes.

I'm unsure if It's 5K off the terrain or 5K from sea level, if it's the latter then 5K would be useful seeming as the mountain ranges in some planets and/or moons would extend above 2.5 thousand ft making sure you have plenty of room for error, which seeming as the operation is run by Kerbal's, is a very valuable asset