diff --git a/src/blackcore/vatsim/networkvatlib.cpp b/src/blackcore/vatsim/networkvatlib.cpp
index ef7c70564..8df31c787 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/vatsim/networkvatlib.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/vatsim/networkvatlib.cpp
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
             const QString route = flightPlan.getRoute();
             const QString remarks = QString(flightPlan.getRemarks());
 
-            const QString alt = flightPlan.getCruiseAltitude().asFpAltitudeSimpleVatsimString();
+            const QString alt = flightPlan.getCruiseAltitude().asFpVatsimAltitudeString();
             //! \fixme that would be the official string, can this be used?
             // const QString alt = flightPlan.getCruiseAltitude().asFpAltitudeString();
 
diff --git a/src/blackgui/altitudeedit.cpp b/src/blackgui/altitudeedit.cpp
index 66a5e547c..63e2291b4 100644
--- a/src/blackgui/altitudeedit.cpp
+++ b/src/blackgui/altitudeedit.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace BlackGui
 
     void CAltitudeEdit::setAltitude(const CAltitude &altitude)
     {
-        this->setText(altitude.asFpAltitudeString());
+        this->setText(altitude.asFpICAOAltitudeString());
     }
 
     bool CAltitudeEdit::isValid(CStatusMessageList *msgs) const
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.cpp b/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.cpp
index 6c9788375..68c6ef508 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "blackmisc/comparefunctions.h"
 #include "blackmisc/iconlist.h"
 #include "blackmisc/icons.h"
+#include "altitude.h"
 
 #include <Qt>
 #include <QtGlobal>
@@ -173,7 +174,14 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
         bool CAltitude::parseFromFpAltitudeString(const QString &value, CStatusMessageList *msgs)
         {
-            QString v(value.trimmed());
+            QString v(value.trimmed()); // do not convert case because of units
+            if (v.startsWith("VFR", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
+            {
+                // we set a more or less meaningful value
+                *this = CAltitude(5000, MeanSeaLevel, CLengthUnit::ft());
+                return true;
+            }
+
             this->setNull();
             if (v.length() < 3)
             {
@@ -210,25 +218,25 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             }
 
             bool ok;
-            if (v.startsWith("F"))
+            if (v.startsWith("F", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
             {
                 this->setUnit(CLengthUnit::ft());
                 this->setValueSameUnit(numericPart.toInt(&ok) * 100);
                 m_datum = FlightLevel;
             }
-            else if (v.startsWith("S"))
+            else if (v.startsWith("S", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
             {
                 this->setUnit(CLengthUnit::m());
                 this->setValueSameUnit(numericPart.toInt(&ok) * 10);
                 m_datum = FlightLevel;
             }
-            else if (v.startsWith("A"))
+            else if (v.startsWith("A", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
             {
                 this->setUnit(CLengthUnit::ft());
                 this->setValueSameUnit(numericPart.toInt(&ok) * 100);
                 m_datum = MeanSeaLevel;
             }
-            else if (v.startsWith("M"))
+            else if (v.startsWith("M", Qt::CaseInsensitive))
             {
                 this->setUnit(CLengthUnit::m());
                 this->setValueSameUnit(numericPart.toInt(&ok) * 10);
@@ -306,7 +314,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             return true;
         }
 
-        QString CAltitude::asFpAltitudeString() const
+        QString CAltitude::asFpICAOAltitudeString() const
         {
             if (this->isNull()) { return QStringLiteral(""); }
             if (this->isFlightLevel())
@@ -314,27 +322,29 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 if (this->getUnit() == CLengthUnit::m())
                 {
                     int m = this->valueInteger() / 10;
-                    return QString("S%1").arg(m, 4, 10, QChar('0'));
+                    return QStringLiteral("S%1").arg(m, 4, 10, QChar('0'));
                 }
                 int ft = this->valueInteger(CLengthUnit::ft()) / 100;
-                return QString("FL%1").arg(ft, 3, 10, QChar('0'));
+                return QStringLiteral("FL%1").arg(ft, 3, 10, QChar('0'));
             }
 
             if (this->getUnit() == CLengthUnit::m())
             {
                 int m = this->valueInteger() / 10;
-                return QString("M%1").arg(m, 4, 10, QChar('0'));
+                return QStringLiteral("M%1").arg(m, 4, 10, QChar('0'));
             }
             int ft = this->valueInteger(CLengthUnit::ft()) / 100;
-            return QString("A%1").arg(ft, 3, 10, QChar('0'));
+            return QStringLiteral("A%1").arg(ft, 3, 10, QChar('0'));
         }
 
-        QString CAltitude::asFpAltitudeSimpleVatsimString() const
+        QString CAltitude::asFpVatsimAltitudeString() const
         {
-            CAltitude copy(*this);
-            copy.switchUnit(CLengthUnit::ft());
-            if (copy.isFlightLevel()) { return copy.asFpAltitudeString(); }
-            return QString::number(copy.valueInteger()); // ft altitude without unit
+            if (this->isFlightLevel()) { return this->asFpICAOAltitudeString(); }
+            // the M/A formats are not supported by VATSIM, means by other clients
+
+            // as feed, as none of the other clients
+            const CAltitude a = this->roundedToNearest100ft();
+            return a.valueRoundedWithUnit(CLengthUnit::ft(), 0);
         }
 
         const QRegularExpression &CAltitude::fpAltitudeRegExp()
@@ -345,7 +355,8 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
         QString CAltitude::fpAltitudeInfo(const QString &separator)
         {
-            static const QString e("FL085, F85 flight level%1S0150 metric level in tens of metres%1A055 altitude in hundreds of feet%12000ft altitude in ft%1M0610 altitude in tens of metres%16100m altitude in meters");
+            // remark use arg %01 to avoid clash with numbers, see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/35517025/qstringarg-with-number-after-placeholder
+            static const QString e("FL085, F85 flight level in hecto feets%1S0150 metric level in tens of meters%1A055 altitude in hundreds of feet%012000ft altitude in ft%1M0610 altitude in tens of meters%016100m altitude in meters");
             return e.arg(separator);
         }
 
@@ -369,6 +380,16 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             return CLength::compare(*this, otherAltitude);
         }
 
+        CAltitude CAltitude::roundedToNearest100ft() const
+        {
+            // 23453 => 234.53
+            CAltitude a = this->switchedUnit(CLengthUnit::ft());
+            const double ft = a.value(CLengthUnit::ft()) / 100.0;
+            const int ftR = qRound(ft) * 100;
+            a.setValueSameUnit(ftR);
+            return a;
+        }
+
         const CAltitude &CAltitude::null()
         {
             static const CAltitude null(0, CAltitude::MeanSeaLevel, CLengthUnit::nullUnit());
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.h b/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.h
index 9b3d01b15..f40de104c 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/aviation/altitude.h
@@ -166,10 +166,10 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             //! * standard metric level in tens of meters, expressed as "S" followed by 4 figures, example: S0150 (which means 1500 metres)
             //! * altitude in hundreds of feet, expressed as "A" followed by 3 figures, example: A055 (which means 5500 feet altitude)
             //! * altitude in tens of meters expressed as "M" followed by 4 figures, example: M0610 (which means 6100 metres altitude)
-            QString asFpAltitudeString() const;
+            QString asFpICAOAltitudeString() const;
 
             //! As simple VATSIM string, only FLxxx or altitude as ft
-            QString asFpAltitudeSimpleVatsimString() const;
+            QString asFpVatsimAltitudeString() const;
 
             //! Checking FP altitude strings like "A20", "FL100"
             //! \sa CFlightPlan::asFpAltitudeString
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             //! \copydoc PhysicalQuantities::CPhysicalQuantity::compare
             int compare(const CAltitude &otherAltitude) const;
 
+            //! Round to the nearest 100ft, like needed for China and Russia
+            //! \remark https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_level
+            CAltitude roundedToNearest100ft() const;
+
             //! Null altitude (MSL)
             static const CAltitude &null();
 
diff --git a/tests/blackmisc/aviation/testflightplan/testflightplan.cpp b/tests/blackmisc/aviation/testflightplan/testflightplan.cpp
index acf0ab63c..cc6634c2f 100644
--- a/tests/blackmisc/aviation/testflightplan/testflightplan.cpp
+++ b/tests/blackmisc/aviation/testflightplan/testflightplan.cpp
@@ -93,15 +93,15 @@ namespace BlackMiscTest
 
         // as string
         a = CAltitude(12500, CAltitude::FlightLevel, CLengthUnit::ft());
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeString() == "FL125", "Expect FL125");
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeSimpleVatsimString() == "FL125", "Expect FL125");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpICAOAltitudeString() == "FL125", "Expect FL125");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpVatsimAltitudeString() == "FL125", "Expect FL125");
         a = CAltitude(15000, CAltitude::MeanSeaLevel, CLengthUnit::ft());
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeString() == "A150", "Expect A150");
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeSimpleVatsimString() == "15000", "Expect 15000");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpICAOAltitudeString() == "A150", "Expect A150");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpVatsimAltitudeString() == "15000", "Expect 15000");
         a = CAltitude(1500, CAltitude::FlightLevel, CLengthUnit::m());
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeString() == "S0150", "Expect S0150");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpICAOAltitudeString() == "S0150", "Expect S0150");
         a = CAltitude(1600, CAltitude::MeanSeaLevel, CLengthUnit::m());
-        QVERIFY2(a.asFpAltitudeString() == "M0160", "Expect M0160");
+        QVERIFY2(a.asFpICAOAltitudeString() == "M0160", "Expect M0160");
     }
 } // ns