All this is above my ceiling.
As a humble light twin pilot I would like to ask the pros out there who fly aircraft certified to fly above FL400, how often they are likely to operate above this level (if anyone flies the A380 then so much the better)? Do airline SOPS generally permit flying close to or at the operational ceilings of commercial jets?
I appreciate that there are efficiencies to be gained by flying higher but am informed by a corporate jet pilot of my acquaintance that there are pitfalls as well. He spoke of critical Mach numbers, higher likelihood of flameouts and the need for additional vigilance etc. How relevant is all this to the A380, 747 etc?
Last edited by Cacophonix; 24th May 2009 at 18:46.