diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index aabe9cfbe5..8ffa3f8297 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::send_nav_controller_output() const
             nav_controller->nav_bearing_cd() * 0.01,
             nav_controller->target_bearing_cd() * 0.01,
             MIN(plane.auto_state.wp_distance, UINT16_MAX),
-            plane.altitude_error_cm * 0.01,
+            plane.calc_altitude_error_cm() * 0.01,
             plane.airspeed_error * 100,  // incorrect units; see PR#7933
             nav_controller->crosstrack_error());
     }
@@ -1463,7 +1463,7 @@ int16_t GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::high_latency_target_altitude() const
         return (plane.control_mode != &plane.mode_qstabilize) ? 0.01 * (global_position_current.alt + quadplane.pos_control->get_pos_error_z_cm()) : 0;
     }
 #endif
-    return 0.01 * (global_position_current.alt + plane.altitude_error_cm);
+    return 0.01 * (global_position_current.alt + plane.calc_altitude_error_cm());
 }
 
 uint8_t GCS_MAVLINK_Plane::high_latency_tgt_heading() const
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Log.cpp b/ArduPlane/Log.cpp
index 12067036e5..2eac3ece63 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Log.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/Log.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ void Plane::Log_Write_Nav_Tuning()
         wp_distance         : auto_state.wp_distance,
         target_bearing_cd   : (int16_t)nav_controller->target_bearing_cd(),
         nav_bearing_cd      : (int16_t)nav_controller->nav_bearing_cd(),
-        altitude_error_cm   : (int16_t)altitude_error_cm,
+        altitude_error_cm   : (int16_t)plane.calc_altitude_error_cm(),
         xtrack_error        : nav_controller->crosstrack_error(),
         xtrack_error_i      : nav_controller->crosstrack_error_integrator(),
         airspeed_error      : airspeed_error,
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index ed07ed9433..613cc25a9b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -400,9 +400,6 @@ private:
     int32_t groundspeed_undershoot;
     bool groundspeed_undershoot_is_valid;
 
-    // Difference between current altitude and desired altitude.  Centimeters
-    int32_t altitude_error_cm;
-
     // speed scaler for control surfaces, updated at 10Hz
     float surface_speed_scaler = 1.0;
 
diff --git a/ArduPlane/commands_logic.cpp b/ArduPlane/commands_logic.cpp
index a904d7ce7e..728ff97ad9 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/commands_logic.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/commands_logic.cpp
@@ -350,7 +350,6 @@ void Plane::do_RTL(int32_t rtl_altitude_AMSL_cm)
     next_WP_loc = calc_best_rally_or_home_location(current_loc, rtl_altitude_AMSL_cm);
     setup_terrain_target_alt(next_WP_loc);
     set_target_altitude_location(next_WP_loc);
-    plane.altitude_error_cm = calc_altitude_error_cm();
 
     if (aparm.loiter_radius < 0) {
         loiter.direction = -1;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/mode.cpp b/ArduPlane/mode.cpp
index 30ec5fc5b0..0a4415ff8b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/mode.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/mode.cpp
@@ -191,8 +191,6 @@ void Mode::update_target_altitude()
     } else {
         plane.set_target_altitude_location(plane.next_WP_loc);
     }
-
-    plane.altitude_error_cm = plane.calc_altitude_error_cm();
 }
 
 // returns true if the vehicle can be armed in this mode
diff --git a/ArduPlane/mode_guided.cpp b/ArduPlane/mode_guided.cpp
index 85462166d1..86a3bf60c1 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/mode_guided.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/mode_guided.cpp
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ void ModeGuided::update_target_altitude()
         }
         plane.guided_state.last_target_alt = temp.alt;
         plane.set_target_altitude_location(temp);
-        plane.altitude_error_cm = plane.calc_altitude_error_cm();
     } else 
 #endif // OFFBOARD_GUIDED == ENABLED
         {
diff --git a/ArduPlane/mode_qrtl.cpp b/ArduPlane/mode_qrtl.cpp
index 7de44dbc9e..87c3b77128 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/mode_qrtl.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/mode_qrtl.cpp
@@ -211,7 +211,6 @@ void ModeQRTL::update_target_altitude()
     Location loc = plane.next_WP_loc;
     loc.alt += alt*100;
     plane.set_target_altitude_location(loc);
-    plane.altitude_error_cm = plane.calc_altitude_error_cm();
 }
 
 // only nudge during approach
diff --git a/ArduPlane/mode_rtl.cpp b/ArduPlane/mode_rtl.cpp
index c35a3b64a6..15d9728006 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/mode_rtl.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/mode_rtl.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void ModeRTL::navigate()
         if ((plane.g.rtl_autoland == RtlAutoland::RTL_IMMEDIATE_DO_LAND_START) ||
             (plane.g.rtl_autoland == RtlAutoland::RTL_THEN_DO_LAND_START &&
             plane.reached_loiter_target() && 
-            labs(plane.altitude_error_cm) < 1000))
+            labs(plane.calc_altitude_error_cm()) < 1000))
             {
                 // we've reached the RTL point, see if we have a landing sequence
                 if (plane.have_position && plane.mission.jump_to_landing_sequence(plane.current_loc)) {
diff --git a/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp b/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
index 4dc71bbee3..6a78965871 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
@@ -425,8 +425,6 @@ void Plane::update_fbwb_speed_height(void)
 
     check_fbwb_altitude();
 
-    altitude_error_cm = calc_altitude_error_cm();
-
     calc_throttle();
     calc_nav_pitch();
 }
diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
index 36e0b21619..2809694fce 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
@@ -1417,7 +1417,7 @@ float QuadPlane::assist_climb_rate_cms(void) const
     float climb_rate;
     if (plane.control_mode->does_auto_throttle()) {
         // use altitude_error_cm, spread over 10s interval
-        climb_rate = plane.altitude_error_cm * 0.1f;
+        climb_rate = plane.calc_altitude_error_cm() * 0.1f;
     } else {
         // otherwise estimate from pilot input
         climb_rate = plane.g.flybywire_climb_rate * (plane.nav_pitch_cd/(plane.aparm.pitch_limit_max*100));