Sources & References
Every formula on this site traces back to a published, verifiable source.
This is the centralized bibliography for FlightCalculators.com, organized by source type rather than by calculator. Each entry lists the edition, version, or effective date consulted, the publisher, and the calculator(s) that rely on it. For how these sources are applied, see the Calculation Methodology page.
FlightCalculators.com is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the FAA, ICAO, NOAA, or any aircraft manufacturer. Source names and document numbers are cited for reference only.
Atmospheric & Performance
Standard-atmosphere definitions and the derivations behind density altitude, pressure altitude, true airspeed, and Mach number.
Manual of the ICAO Standard Atmosphere (extended to 80 km)
- Edition / date:
- Doc 7488/3, 3rd Edition (1993)
- Publisher:
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Source- Edition / date:
- FAA-H-8083-25C (2023)
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Airplane Flying Handbook
Source- Edition / date:
- FAA-H-8083-3C (2021)
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Regulatory
Federal Aviation Regulations and FAA guidance material. Every entry lists the edition consulted and the date it was last reviewed.
14 CFR Part 61 — Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors
Source- Edition / date:
- e-CFR, current as of 2026-07-30
- Publisher:
- U.S. Government Publishing Office
14 CFR Part 91 — General Operating and Flight Rules
Source- Edition / date:
- e-CFR, current as of 2026-07-30
- Publisher:
- U.S. Government Publishing Office
Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
Source- Edition / date:
- Basic dated 2024, Change 1 (current as of 2026-07-30)
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
AC 61-23C / Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (carburetor icing chart)
- Edition / date:
- AC 61-23C (1997)
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
AC 68-1A — Alternative Pilot Physical Examination and Education Requirements (BasicMed)
- Edition / date:
- AC 68-1A (2017)
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
AC 91-105 / AIM 7-2 — altimeter procedures and cold-temperature error
- Edition / date:
- Current as of 2026-07-30
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
National Airspace System Resource (NASR) subscription data
Source- Edition / date:
- 28-Day NASR Subscription, effective 2026-08-01
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Aircraft Data
Published Pilot’s Operating Handbook data used for the built-in weight & balance aircraft profiles. Always verify against your own aircraft’s POH/AFM.
Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP Pilot’s Operating Handbook
- Edition / date:
- Revision 4 (2006), Part No. 172SPHBUS-00
- Publisher:
- Cessna Aircraft Company
Used only for the built-in C172S weight & balance profile. Verify against your specific airplane’s POH and weighing record.
Cessna 172N Skyhawk Pilot’s Operating Handbook
- Edition / date:
- 1977–1980 production
- Publisher:
- Cessna Aircraft Company
Representative values for the built-in profile. Verify against your specific airplane’s POH.
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Pilot’s Operating Handbook
- Edition / date:
- 1964–1977 production
- Publisher:
- Piper Aircraft Corporation
Representative values for the built-in profile. Verify against your specific airplane’s POH.
Piper PA-28-181 Archer Pilot’s Operating Handbook
- Edition / date:
- 1994 and later production
- Publisher:
- Piper Aircraft Corporation
Representative values for the built-in profile. Verify against your specific airplane’s POH.
Weather & Meteorology
Vapor-pressure formulas, cloud-base estimation methods, and flight-category definitions.
Bolton, D. — “The Computation of Equivalent Potential Temperature” (saturation vapor pressure formula)
- Edition / date:
- Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 108, No. 7, pp. 1046–1053 (1980)
- Publisher:
- American Meteorological Society
Convective condensation level (Espy’s) approximation for cumulus cloud base
- Edition / date:
- Standard meteorological approximation (≈ 400 ft per °C of temperature–dewpoint spread)
- Publisher:
- National Weather Service / standard meteorology
Flight-category (VFR/MVFR/IFR/LIFR) ceiling and visibility thresholds
- Edition / date:
- AIM and NWS Aviation Weather Center definitions, current as of 2026-07-30
- Publisher:
- U.S. Federal Aviation Administration / National Weather Service
Mathematical References
General-purpose mathematical methods used across several calculators.
Haversine great-circle distance formula
- Edition / date:
- Sinnott, R. W., “Virtues of the Haversine,” Sky & Telescope 68(2):159 (1984)
- Publisher:
- Standard spherical trigonometry
Linear interpolation between tabulated values
- Edition / date:
- Standard numerical method
- Publisher:
- General mathematics
Looking for the per-calculator breakdown? The Calculation Methodology page has a table mapping every tool to its primary source, formula type, and assumptions. To report an out-of-date citation, see our Corrections Policy. For a compact, searchable one-row-per-calculator summary of primary source, edition, and last-validated date, see the Source Register.