Several years ago, a cargo plane crashed due to a confusion over units. The plan

Question

Several years ago, a cargo plane crashed due to a confusion over units. The plane was to fly from Shanghai, China, to Seoul, Korea. After take-off the plane climbed to 810 m. Then the first officer was instructed by the Shanghai tower to climb to 1,390 m and maintain that altitude. The captain, after reaching 1,280 m, twice asked the first officer at what altitude they should fly. He was twice told incorrectly they were to be at 1,390 ft. (It turns out that aircraft altitudes are given in feet throughout the world except in China, Mongolia, and the former Soviet states where meters are used.) The captain pushed the control column quickly forward and started a steep descent. The plane could not recover from the dove and crashed. How much above the correct altitude did the captian think they were when he started his rapid descent and lost control?

___ feet

Explanation / Answer

Just about to make rapid descent, the plane is at 1280 m = 4199.475 feet

Difference in altitudes is 4199.475 feet - 1390 feet = 2809.4 feet

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