Definition
The highest point of an airport's usable runways, measured in feet above mean sea level (MSL).
Plain English
How high the airport sits above sea level, taken from the highest spot on any of its runways.
Context Anchor
Seen in airport information during preflight planning, especially when checking aircraft performance for takeoff and landing.
Derivation
Elevation comes from a Latin word meaning “to raise up.” That fits the aviation use because airport elevation tells you how raised the airport is compared with mean sea level, the standard height reference.
Why Pilots Care
Correct knowledge of airport elevation allows pilots to set their altimeters accurately, which is essential for maintaining safe altitudes during takeoff and landing.
Intuition Check
Airport elevation does not mean the average height of the airport property or the height of a building on the airport. In FAA use, it means the highest point on the airport's usable runways, measured above mean sea level.
Example Sentence 1
Before departing, the pilot noted the airport elevation of 5,431 feet and recalculated takeoff distance for the higher density altitude.
Example Sentence 2
Runway 18 at this airport has an elevation of 1,200 feet, which is also the published airport elevation.