Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
Possible altitude deviation. There is a lot of confusion on one specific crossing altitude on the SEQM ILS Z Runway 36 approach. The approach starts at QIT VOR. The approach plate and the tailored company page both say 18;000 feet; however the transition level is FL180. So....do we cross at 18;000 feet or FL180? My copilot and I discussed this question at length. The copilot found on Part One page 17.4-2 (International Section): When flying at or above the transition level; QNE altimeter setting (29.92' Hg/1013 hPa) is to be used and the height of the aircraft is to be expressed in terms of flight levels. As a result of this paragraph; we crossed QIT VOR and the next point (also to cross at 18;000) at FL180 with altimeters set to 29.92. Quito approach never asked us about this; however we are submitting a safety report because there is a doubt.
An air carrier Captain; flying the ILS Z RWY 36 approach at SEQM expressed confusion over whether the charted 18;000 feet MEA over QIT and the QIT 177/6.0 DME should be flown as a flight level or an altitude since FL180/18000 are the transition FL/ALTs.