reliable and accurate than one that relied on air pressure when heavy fog or rain was present. The new altimeter used a series of high-pitched sounds like those made by a bat to measure the distance from the aircraft to the surface, which on return to the aircraft was converted to feet shown on a gauge inside the aircraft cockpit.

Radar altimeter

A radar altimeter measures altitude more directly, using the time taken for a radio signal to reflect from the surface back to the aircraft.

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