SafeAlt Portable Altimeter / VSI Combo-- 2026 Version

Ships in 3-4 weeks. Also Available at Aircraft Spruce

Altitude is the hero.

SafeAlt was designed so the pilot can understand the aircraft’s vertical situation at a glance.

The large analog dial gives an immediate visual sense of altitude. The digital altitude window provides the exact value. The analog and digital VSI answer the next question:

Are we climbing, descending, or holding?

Temperature and density altitude complete the picture by showing how the atmosphere may affect takeoff and climb performance.

Nothing important is hidden behind another screen.

A familiar altimeter—without the plumbing.

At the center of SafeAlt is a familiar dual-needle altimeter display, supplemented by a large digital altitude value.

A yellow digital Kollsman setting floats inside the dial, much like the pressure-setting window on a conventional panel altimeter.

Tap the left or right button to adjust the setting. Tap both buttons to return instantly to standard pressure.

SafeAlt stores the Kollsman setting and restores it the next time the instrument is turned on.

The 2026 update also adds a stored Altitude Adjust setting. This allows SafeAlt to be fine-tuned against a trusted altitude reference by as much as ±500 feet. The correction is retained in memory and also feeds the density-altitude calculation.

Vertical speed you can see two ways.

SafeAlt displays vertical speed on both a small analog gauge and a dedicated digital readout.

The analog gauge gives the pilot an immediate sense of direction and trend. The digital window provides the actual rate.

The analog VSI may be configured for either:

• ±2,000 feet per minute for general flying

• ±1,000 feet per minute for twice the needle sensitivity in slower-climbing aircraft

The digital VSI continues reading beyond the analog gauge range, up to ±9,999 feet per minute.

Density altitude without the guesswork.

Density altitude can significantly affect takeoff distance and climb performance, yet it is often estimated using separate instruments, charts, or phone applications.

SafeAlt calculates density altitude continuously from pressure altitude and measured temperature, then displays it in its own red window.

The temperature being used for the calculation appears directly above it. You can see the input and the result at the same time.

A stored Temperature Trim allows the reading to be matched to a trusted reference thermometer.

The temperature sensor is inside the SafeAlt enclosure. For the most useful preflight density-altitude reading, allow SafeAlt to acclimate to outside air and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Battery information that stays visible.

Battery voltage appears continuously in the upper-left corner of the display.

A fully charged battery reads approximately 4.2 V. When voltage becomes low, SafeAlt automatically dims the display to conserve power and provide a clear reminder that charging is needed.

SafeAlt provides more than five hours of typical battery operation and may also be operated continuously from USB power.

One setup selection changes the entire instrument.

U.S. mode:

• Inches of mercury

• Feet

• Feet per minute

• Degrees Fahrenheit

Rest-of-World mode:

• Hectopascals

• Meters

• Meters per second

• Degrees Celsius

The Kollsman setting, altitude, VSI, temperature, and density altitude all change together.

Designed to be read, not operated.

SafeAlt’s normal controls are deliberately simple:

Tap LEFT Decrease the Kollsman setting.

Tap RIGHT Increase the Kollsman setting.

Tap BOTH Return to standard pressure: 29.92 inHg or 1013.5 hPa.

Hold LEFT Switch between day and night brightness.

Less frequently used settings—including units, VSI scale, Altitude Adjust, and Temperature Trim—are kept in a separate setup menu.

Once configured, SafeAlt behaves like an instrument, not a computer.

• Self-contained portable altimeter, VSI, temperature, and density-altitude instrument

• Sunlight-readable color LCD

• Large analog dual-needle altimeter display

• Dedicated digital altitude display

• Analog and digital vertical-speed indication

• Selectable analog VSI range: ±2,000 or ±1,000 feet per minute

• Metric analog VSI range: ±10 or ±5 meters per second

• Digital VSI range up to ±9,999 feet per minute

• Digital Kollsman setting in inches of mercury or hectopascals

• Continuously calculated density altitude

• Density altitude rounded to the nearest 100 feet or 50 meters

• Current temperature displayed in °F or °C

• Stored Temperature Trim range: ±20°C

• Stored Altitude Adjust range: ±500 feet

• Battery voltage displayed continuously

• Automatic low-battery dimming

• Day and night brightness modes

• USB-rechargeable internal battery

• Typical battery operation: 5+ hours

• Continuous operation available from USB power

• U.S. and Rest-of-World units

• Settings retained in permanent memory

• Brightness returns to day mode at power-up

• Dimensons: 0.61" x 2.62" x 2.25"

• Three-year warranty

The SafeAlt 2026 manual includes complete operating instructions, setup guidance, specifications, density-altitude information, and battery and charging details.

READ THE SAFEALT 2026 MANUAL

SafeAlt uses an extraordinarily accurate solid-state pressure sensor.

In testing at a TSO instrument manufacturing facility, the tested SafeAlt would have met the applicable altimeter TSO tolerance through 14,000 feet with a calibration change of only 30 feet.

That result helped lead to one of the most useful additions in the 2026 update: Altitude Adjust.

Altitude Adjust allows the pilot to fine-tune SafeAlt against a trusted reference, correcting the small individual offset that can exist in any pressure instrument while preserving its excellent repeatability and smooth response.

SafeAlt is not TSO-certified. It is an advisory instrument intended for situational awareness and backup use.