This is why altitude is hard to figure out.

[Valkyrie]

I have seen this to muzzy, and was just as ballistic as you are. Upon reviewing the film it seems aircraft and formations or always lower than they appear. It seems that at altitude you can't get a gauge on people until you are right on them.

I always notice this when we are escorting bombers. They always appear 3-4 sometimes even high K than that. Maybe something we should ask HT about. Its even lead to fights with fighters toping 38k as both squads climbed to get on the other only to figure out we ended up in the stratosphere.

[pembquist]

I always notice this when we are escorting bombers. They always appear 3-4 sometimes even high K than that. Maybe something we should ask HT about. Its even lead to fights with fighters toping 38k as both squads climbed to get on the other only to figure out we ended up in the stratosphere.

Thats just the Hypoxia Model, the Euphoria Variable.

[ROC]

This is always confusing to me.

I've come to the conclusion that there is an optical allusion that is throwing off my ability to judge altitude. I have to remember, I'm looking at an plane flying over a circular object that has a gravitational pull.  This is keeping my plane, and their plane, level, at least to each others location.

If flat, I would see the plane at the same altitude I was at, and I would see the plane level, side on or head on.  Flying over a curve, I am flying "level", the other planes are "level", at least relative to their exact location.  They are off in the distance, level over a curve, so I am actually seeing the underside of their planes.  Place your hands flat in front of your eyes.   Now spread them apart, but imagine they are over a curve.  Same height, but you're looking at the underside of your hands now.  In the air, you instinctively think if I can see their landing gear, I'm under them. 
But, my lack of scientific edumacation suggests I'm just kinda winging it here.  Looks like they are higher, looks are deceiving.   There are a whole lot of missing elements that help the brain adjust to altitudes, position and such out in the real world that simply can't be duplicated on a monitor, so the effect seems more pronounced on screen.

IMHO, YMMV, and other required disclaimers suggesting I have a clue.

[TheBug]

This is always confusing to me.

I've come to the conclusion that there is an optical allusion that is throwing off my ability to judge altitude. I have to remember, I'm looking at an plane flying over a circular object that has a gravitational pull.  This is keeping my plane, and their plane, level, at least to each others location.

If flat, I would see the plane at the same altitude I was at, and I would see the plane level, side on or head on.  Flying over a curve, I am flying "level", the other planes are "level", at least relative to their exact location.  They are off in the distance, level over a curve, so I am actually seeing the underside of their planes.  Place your hands flat in front of your eyes.   Now spread them apart, but imagine they are over a curve.  Same height, but you're looking at the underside of your hands now.  In the air, you instinctively think if I can see their landing gear, I'm under them. 
But, my lack of scientific edumacation suggests I'm just kinda winging it here.  Looks like they are higher, looks are deceiving.   There are a whole lot of missing elements that help the brain adjust to altitudes, position and such out in the real world that simply can't be duplicated on a monitor, so the effect seems more pronounced on screen.

IMHO, YMMV, and other required disclaimers suggesting I have a clue.

I'm sorry but I'm stoned and you still don't make sense.

[ROC]

haha ya, I confuse myself most times.  Hard to describe something visual.

[ImADot]

It's all so simple...and you can do the calculation in your head:

[ROC]

You see where you made that mistake, don't you? 

[Wiley]

What I always chalked it up to is the visible ground when you're low appears closer to level with you than it is when you're at altitude in the game.  The mist obscures the horizon when it's farther away from you, but your brain is so used to seeing 'when it's near where the ground ends, it's close to level with me' it's hard to retrain your brain to realize that level with you is somewhere in the white band on your monitor.

Wiley.