Definition
On a three-pointer sensitive altimeter, the long, thin pointer that completes one full revolution every 1,000 feet, with each numbered increment on the dial face representing 100 feet of altitude change.
Plain English
The longest needle on the altimeter. It moves the fastest and shows your altitude in hundreds of feet. One full trip around the dial equals 1,000 feet.
Context Anchor
Seen on diagrams of a round-dial altimeter, especially when learning how to read the different altimeter pointers.
Derivation
The abbreviation “ft.” means “feet.” “Pointer” comes from the idea of pointing at something; here it means the moving hand that points to numbers on the altimeter dial.
Why Pilots Care
Allows quick visual tracking of small altitude changes without needing to interpret the full dial at a glance.
Analogy
Think of it like the second hand on an analog clock — the fastest-moving hand, sweeping around the dial while the slower hands track the bigger units.
Intuition Check
Do not read the 100 ft. pointer as showing only “100 feet.” It shows the hundreds-of-feet part of the full altitude reading.
Example Sentence 1
As the aircraft climbed, the 100 ft. pointer swept smoothly past the 5 mark, indicating 500 feet above the last thousand.
Example Sentence 2
During level-off, the 100 ft. pointer stabilized near the 2 mark, showing steady altitude at 2,200 feet.