Table Of Content
“Is it courteous to check behind you if a person has their laptop open with a cup of coffee filled to the brim before you quickly and violently recline your seat? Too-quick reclining can even land you in legal trouble in some places, like a case out of China when a rail passenger was fined for breaking the laptop screen of the traveler behind him when he reclined his seat. Leighton also said it’s smart to leave your shoes on at least for takeoff and landing. You may be packed in like sardines on a Spirit flight, but that doesn’t mean you have the right to spill over into someone else’s precious little space.
Weather and Turbulence
What is cruising altitude, and how does it fit into different aircraft? Sheffield School of Aeronautics explores more in the following article. Planes don't always fly at the same altitude, and that's for a very good reason that many of us wish we could do on the ground — avoiding traffic.
Why Do Commercial Airplanes Fly at 36,000 Feet?
Finally, it will lay out the effect altitude has on airplane performance, as well as factors such as weather and passenger comfort that explain why pilots choose to fly at various altitudes. The earth's atmosphere is around 300 miles thick and is divided into five main layers. However, most commercial aircraft fly in the bottom two layers — the Troposphere and the Stratosphere. The Troposphere is closest to the surface of the earth, and as you climb into it, on average, the temperature decreases by roughly 3.6°F for every 1,000 feet. This means that at cruising altitude of 37,000 feet, the outside air temperature could be minus 76°F.
Tip 3: What Kind Of Airspace Do I Need To Deal With?
Flight levels are usually designated in writing as FLxxx, where xxx is a two- or three-digit number indicating the pressure altitude in units of 100 feet (30 m). In radio communications, FL290 would be pronounced as "flight level two nine(r) zero". When attempting to land at a controlled airfield, a wise pilot will listen to the ATIS prior to contacting the approach controller. In instrument conditions, having an accurate altimeter setting (among other things) is critical to operating and landing safely. Periodic pressure references and adjustments are necessary as air pressure fluctuates due to weather patterns. If you're flying a short distance, it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend the majority of your flight in a climb.
Enjoy a restaurant-quality meal, watch a film on a huge screen and then have a sleep in a flat bed. A few hours later, wake up to a hot espresso and leave the aircraft ready to crack on with your day. But have you ever really thought about what it's like on the other side of that window?
Safety first: What flight attendants do, don't do Cruising Altitude - USA TODAY
Safety first: What flight attendants do, don't do Cruising Altitude.
Posted: Wed, 21 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Hopefully one of the commercial pilots can fill in more of the blanks, though. When it comes to performance, with a jet you want to fly as high as possible. The only reason not to do so is total distance; on a short hop there is not enough flying time to climb all the way up.
How High Do Planes Fly? Airplane Flight Altitude
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 to tail off significantly. And, on top of that, you’re burning extra fuel, and flying a slow indicated airspeed, all the way to your cruise altitude. When it comes to aviation, airplanes, and flight dispatching, a key consideration for the career is understanding what the ideal cruising altitude for airplanes is. Cruising altitude is the name given to the height that an aircraft will achieve for most of the flight or travel. This is the most constant altitude that most aircraft will experience, which is why they are deemed to be “cruising” when they reach this altitude. Cruising altitude is also the portion of a flight where aircraft are the most fuel-efficient because of the consistency in speed and engine use.
Transatlantic airplanes are flying at the ‘speed of sound’ right now. Here’s why - CNN
Transatlantic airplanes are flying at the ‘speed of sound’ right now. Here’s why.
Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Transition altitude
These three factors together mean that you get less dehydrated, sleep better and ultimately arrive at your destination feeling more refreshed than on other aircraft. Next time you have the choice of aircraft on a route, give the 787 a go. Once it has been cooled to an acceptable temperature, it is then directed toward a unit that removes moisture from the air. After this, it heads toward another unit where it is mixed with some of the original hot air. It is here where the temperature required in the cabin is created. From here, the conditioned air heads into the cabin, providing the air to pressurize the cabin at a temperature that means you're able to sit there sipping your G & T in shorts and a T-shirt.
Most planes are flying above the troposphere, where weather events usually happen, according to Traveller. On the other hand, flying too high could have negative safety issues. In some emergencies, such as a rapid decompression, pilots want to return to a lower altitude as quickly as possibe. So again, there has to be a balance, which accounts for the altitudes generally used. While you obviously want to consider your headwind or tailwind along your route, you also want to make sure you’re keeping yourself clear of any significant shear layers aloft. Conversely, RVSM equipped aircraft are able to continue separation in 2,000 ft intervals as outlined in the semicircular rules.
Grotts said seeing people walk around barefoot is a huge pet peeve. I tend to agree and always feel a little guilty if I take my shoes off, which I usually do only on overnight flights. So you'll need to do some math to figure out where the bases will be to maintain your VFR cloud-clearance requirements. Here are 5 things to think about when you're planning your next flight.
Commercial aircraft depart airports through a standard procedure, where they are under positive control of ATC. These procedures instruct pilots when to make their turns in the direction of the destination and at what altitude they should expect. The Boeing 777 is a wide-body, long range airliner made by U.S. manufacturer Boeing.
That altitude guarantees you at least 100 feet (up to 300 feet, in some cases) of clearance from all terrain and obstacles in the quadrant. There's nothing that will ruin your day like hitting terrain or an obstacle. If you're flying VFR, one of the easiest ways is to open your sectional and check out the MEF (Maximum Elevation Figure) altitudes for your route. "[Air Traffic Control] is often very helpful for avoiding turbulence," said Pereira.
There's controlled airspace, special use airspace, and just about every kind of airspace you can think of listed on sectional charts. If you're flying a short distance, it doesn't make sense to spend the majority of your flight in a climb. How do you make sure you're clear of terrain and obstacles on your route? If you're flying VFR, one of the easiest ways is to open your sectional chart and look at the MEF (Maximum Elevation Figure) altitudes for your route.
And one place you're almost guaranteed to find turbulence is around shear layers in the winds aloft. The Cessna 172 by Textron Aviation is a single-engine, piston aircraft, designed primarily as a trainer. It is comparable to other light aircraft like the Piper Cherokee, the Diamond DA40, and Cirrus SR20. We wanted to know, and asked three commercial pilots for the lowdown. As air passes through the progressive stages of the engine, the pressure and thus the temperature also increase. When these two are at their highest level, a certain amount of this air is 'bled' off to provide a supply for a number of aircraft systems.
This hole — alarming as it may seem — is one of the most important parts of the pressurization system. Again, airliners can generally cope with turbulence, but it is preferable to avoid it if possible. Birds rarely fly that high, which is important, as bird strikes, though rare, can be disastrous if they happen.
From the early days, aircraft designers knew they were contending with a hostile environment. The rear gunners of Lancaster bombers were often exposed to temperatures of minus 86°F to minus 104°F due to the wind tearing into the turret. To counter this, they were provided with electrically heated suits to try and insulate them from the extreme cold. They also had a dedicated oxygen supply to help protect them from hypoxia when above 10,000 feet.
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