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This is also the reason why it's called "cruising" altitude, because the plane is "sailing" through the air along the path of least resistance. For most aircraft, your time-to-climb is pretty linear, but if you're flying a normally aspirated airplane above 10,000 feet MSL, your climb rate can start dropping off significantly. On top of that, you're burning extra fuel in a climb, and flying a slower indicated airspeed too. Below the "transition altitude" (which is 18,000 feet in the US, 5,000 feet in Germany), the pilot has to pay attention to the current altimeter setting, and adjust it accordingly.
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If you're not talking to ATC, though, you would have to get the local altimeter settings from ATIS, or satellite weather, or some other source. As explained earlier, the limiting factors for airplanes flying higher are restrictions on the engine and airframe. Temperature cools with altitude, and engines can only sustain negative temperatures to a certain limit before they are unable to operate.
Flight level
Similar aircraft are the Aeronca Champion, Aeronca L-3, American Eagle Eaglet 31, and others. The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine fighter designed by defense company McDonnell Douglas with many variants to the design. It is powered by Pratt & Whitney engines that allow the jet to fly as high as 65,000 feet.
How High Do Airplanes Fly, and Why?
However, if he has no other choice, he expects access to both armrests. I’ve always thought it was an unwritten but absolute rule that the person in the middle seat gets access to both armrests as a courtesy. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for restricted areas and other special use airspace, but a quick check on your sectional chart or ForeFlight can clear up any questions about that. Grotts and Leighton both agreed that in extreme cases of misbehavior by fellow passengers, it’s usually best to get the flight crew involved.
What Is the Cruising Altitude of a 747?
It is not essential for aircraft to avoid bad weather, but it is a good idea. Commercial airplanes usually fly above the troposphere, which is the part of the atmosphere where weather events usually happen. This is why when you are cruising in an airliner, it is usually bright and sunny, with all the cloud and rain below you. However, a plane’s engines need oxygen in order to function, so flying too high can also cause problems.
ECON speed will also be higher at higher altitudes because the density of the air is lower. Spending less on fuel is great for airlines, for obvious reasons, but a plane's engines also need oxygen in order to work, according to Traveller, to create combustion, which also creates energy. So, flying too high can also cause problems because the air is much thinner. Plus, the higher a plane goes, the more fuel it has to burn in order to get there so there are some drawbacks with certain altitudes as well. You fasten your seat belt, listen to the pre-flight safety demonstration (we hope), and prepare yourself for takeoff.
He’s been a flight instructor at the University of North Dakota and an airline pilot on the CRJ-200, and has directed development of numerous commercial and military training systems. On this route from KGCY-KEHO, there’s a 24-knot wind velocity difference between 3,000 feet and 6,000 feet, with a nearly 50 degree wind direction difference. And, if you’re thinking things would be bumpy in that area, you’re right. If your passengers’ teeth are getting rattled out of their heads because of turbulence, they’re not going to be very impressed. And one place you’re almost guaranteed to find turbulence is around shear layers in the winds aloft.
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The only comparable aircraft would be Lockheed’s SR-71 Blackbird. The U-2 was designed as a reconnaissance aircraft in the 1950s and had one engine, made by General Electric. Even though it does always seem like the captain says, "We’ve reached our cruising altitude of 36,000ft" before switching off the seat belt sign. We started filing FL250, a good altitude for the Beechcraft King Air 350i in terms of speed and fuel efficiency. But as we flew south into the busy arrival and departure corridors for O’Hare, we were sent down. Most airline passengers simply accept the fact that passenger jets fly very high.
How do pilots decide what their cruising altitude will be?
Apart from flying through lower-lying bad-weather systems, there’s a lot more general aviation traffic at lower altitudes, including that of smaller commercial and private aircraft. Despite pilots being in control of the plane, they aren't the ones who decide on its altitude. Air dispatchers, instead, are in charge of planning and deciding a plane's route, including altitude, as well as tracking where an aircraft is in the air. The biggest reason for flying at higher altitudes lies in fuel efficiency. The thin air creates less drag on the aircraft, which means the plane can use less fuel in order to maintain speed.
Not only does this make it lighter but it also makes it much stronger, meaning that it can withstand much higher cabin pressurization. As a result, the cabin altitude is roughly 30% lower than other aircraft at the same cruising altitude. This may not sound like much, but over a 14-hour flight you certainly notice the difference.
So, the question of why we can’t often get the altitudes we want on shorter trips isn’t a mystery at all. The airspace in many parts of the country is so complex, that an arriving or departing flight a hundred or more miles away matters. To find out what altitude works on a short flight, all I can suggest is trial and error, or maybe ask the controller if the frequency quiets down so you can plan for the next time. It should be noted that every airplane has a certified maximum altitude. During test flights this maximum is exceeded slightly to verify the that airplane remains safe should it have cause to ascend from that limit. The highest certified altitude of an airliner was Concorde’s 60,000 feet.
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Most commercial airplane manufacturers have different models of airplanes that are each used for different purposes because of the characteristics that each has. Closely related to the 747, a 737 jet has a very similar cruising altitude. The maximum cruising altitude for the new generation of 737 planes is 41,000 feet. At this altitude, 737 jets can still have great fuel efficiency and safety standards thanks to avoiding powerful winds and bad weather.
These recreational airplanes are not designed to be flown as high or at the same high speeds as commercial airplanes, such as some of the Boeing or Airbus models. These recreational airplanes are less powerful and designed for shorter flights. Most Cessna 172s have a maximum altitude of 13,000 to 15,000 feet, which is much lower than the previously discussed models. These airplanes need to make sure that they stay within this range to be as safe as possible.
High altitudes are also scenic and offer passengers experiences like no other. Every airplane has its own altitude limitation, usually based on the engine powering it, and pilots have to decide what altitude is best for their mission flexoffers. You might be surprised to learn that all airplanes aren’t able to fly at every altitude. That’s because airplanes have different designs and capabilities for certain flight profiles and missions. This article will explain some of the nuances that determine how high different airplanes fly. It will also outline the highest altitude that some popular airplanes are designed to fly.
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