How high do you fly? (what it should have been about)

[prop-wash]

In light of the "How high do you fly" thread that had nothing to do with what I though it would, and following on from the "What type are you on" thread, how about compiling a list of how high you have piloted an aircraft and what it was in?

Personally I have never been been required to use oxygen, only 9500' in a C172.

I look forward to some unexpected altitudes from light aircraft.

P-W

[AerocatS2A]

Well, for work I've flown at FL250, but that isn't very interesting.

Maybe slightly less uninteresting, I've done aeros in a Pitts at 11,000.

[waren9]

12500' out of a 172 without too much trouble. 4 fat arses on as well.

[aseanaero]

Regularly went to 10,000 ft in a C182 and 12,000 in a Turbo Porter without oxygen and to FL180 in the porter a few times with oxygen.

A couple of times to 12,000ft in a C182 but it took ages as above 10,000 it was only climbing at 200 fpm

All skydiver drops (meat missiles)

[B58]

FL130 in a PA28 while learning to fly

FL170 on OXY in the 404 HID to CS

Regularly FL290 in the B200 I'm in now. Once FL310 but even though they are certified to 350 they dont really like it up there that much

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I have had the Bonanza to FL160 (density alt 18,300'). Took 30min/55nm to get there.

Had a little bit left to give - but not much!

Dr :8



http://www.fototime.com/5C5D4760EC838AF/standard.jpg

[Lockers]

Im flying the C208B in PNG at the moment.

Regularly operating at 14,000.

Have recently flown it at FL210 with no problems :}. Just keep a watchful eye on OAT (normally ISA + 15 in this part of the world), Torque and ITT.

Lockers :ok:

[NOSIGN]

FL250 Turbo C206 (TOC approx. 46 minutes fm memory) :ok:

I've heard of another C206 at FL320 in NZ :ooh:

[clear to land]

In the 'good old days' in the Army we used to self authorize "not below ground level", and think we would get hypoxic if we flew above 250'!! :ok:

[18-Wheeler]

Been to FL450 in a Citation 2, FL430 in a 747-100, and FL270 in an Aerostar 601P.

[Atlas Shrugged]

PA60 - 21000
C340 - about the same
TB10 - 11500
TB20 - 16000
PA28R - 12000 (just)

...no biggies there.

Oh, I have a vague recollection of being in a Grob G115 at about 10000

[djpil]

aeros in a Pitts at 11,000Me too, some at 12,000 (ground elevation was 6200 (http://www.fltplan.com/AirportInformation/AFO.htm)). Needed 14 for short time to get over the Wind River Ranges (http://skyvector.com/)to the east.

[Oxidant]

Also from "the previous day job".......

PR Canberra "50,000+"

SAR Helo "above ground level"

[Jman1984]

4500' ...... :(

[HarleyD]

Regulary flew 15 - 16,000 in South America.

Have done circuits at an airport with an elevation of 10,000 ft. Temp was 20C. density height was at circuit height DH was only about 250' short of service cieling at MTOW, which we were at. Bugger all wind so GS at approach and landing is noticeably higher due to high TAS. You keep Vref not one knot over. Brakes work hard but not as hard as the pucker factor on take off, even with a very long runway. (Quito, Ecuador)

Early days over there I was looking at a map and planning a flight from Arica in Chile to Cochabamba in Bolivia. A Wise older head suggested following the La Paz railway line to the border then cutting back SE across the altiplano to Cochabama, "Hey man, this is no biggie" I said, "we can direct track it pretty much, Grid LSA is like 63 - 68 so there is no problem, we just cruise 10k and we have room to spare!"


"That Meters, not feet, on these charts" :=


Woops! :O I removed my feet from mouth and tracked via the railway line at 15,000 visual between the magnificant snow capped peaks of the Andes.

Note to self, engage brain before putting mouth into fine pitch.:ugh:

HD

[Disco Stu]

36300 true altitude in standing wave in a K13 at Matamata (NZ) many, many years ago. I do remember it was "very cold":eek:

[Mark1234]

Damn.. trumps me, was going to say 15,000 over mt cook in a duo discus. That was cold, but 36k in a K13? You're braver than me :)

Also 9500 in a PA28 at MTOW (less climb fuel) on a 43 deg c day - was +20C up there... Couldn't go higher without oxygen, not sure it'd have made it any further anyway!

[Pinky the pilot]

17,500' in a Bongo van in PNG. Somewhere around the same in an
'A' model C402.

Know of a bloke who took a similar model 402 a lot higher but I aint sayin'!

[poss]

10,000 feet just to see if the aircraft could get there... it was a particularly slow R200.

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1973/78/14/535550260/n535550260_5361379_267.jpg

[slow n low]

10 ft AHO for the real work..
50 ft AHO for getting there..
200 ft AHO for high level transit...:E

Get scared above 500ft these days :ooh:

[Cap'n Bunghole]

FL532 - and climbing at over 8k'/min.

Unfortunately, I didn't mean to do it, so I am not sure if it counts :\

[gassed budgie]

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9523/photo0327.jpg

At the departure aerodrome it was 44C. Got a thermal to 6500' another one to 10,000' and the final one took the trusty C172 (at least it's mine!) to FL140. It eventually struggled up to and held FL155.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9356/photo0330.jpg

The highest I've been in a N/A piston single. It definitely felt 'a bit different'.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8007/photo0328u.jpg

I couldn't believe that on a 44C day I was picking up airframe icing as I was flitting through the tops of the clouds. It was -3C outside. Bit hard to pick up the light icing on the strut as it was taken with the phone camera.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9865/photo0331.jpg

After giving the engine sufficient time to cool off, it was shut down at FL125, 15 miles out and made like a glider. Missed the intended landing spot by about 30'. Bummer! Better luck next time.

[Sunfish]

Around 7500 in an Arrow on way back to Arkaroola from the Dig Tree. Just more comfortable there.

And 6000 for aero's......

[VH-XXX]

Hmmmm........ 14,170ft. (with significant headwind) For observant types, the aircraft battery had died.


http://users.netconnect.com.au/~njah1/alt1.jpg

http://users.netconnect.com.au/~njah1/alt2.jpg

[sms777]

Pssssst..... Been to 14500' to calm my rowdy pax down with no Co2..... It worked....They all went to sleep...... Yeeeeehaaaarrr. :ok:

[gassed budgie]

Why is the altimeter still set at 1025 (xxx) and 1010 (gassed budgie)??


It's a bit closer to the mark than 1025 is. Does that count?

[Gundog01]

9500' in a Parrot. Not much left in the old girl.

[Bullethead]

FL450 in an empty B747-400 SIN-SYD years ago.
FL420 in an empty B707 doing a post maintenance airtest.
FL200 in a RAAF UH1H Iroquois Helicopter, POB 8, checking out some high pressure oxygen equipment for use in Irian Jaya. I was with a squadron QFI and he pulled an engine failure on me as we approached Amberley. Longest auto I've ever done, it took about a quarter of an hour to reach the ground!

Regards,
BH.

[QF411]

Anyone care to post any photos of their aircraft above FL400? Love how the sky looks from that altitude!!

[Rich Pitch Power]

FL155 in the LET410 somewhere over Africa.
FL130 in the C208 leaving this particular spot in africa.:O
12500' in a PA32 in Malawi/Zambia.

Altimeter set on 1013 in these sunny climates.....all the time usually.

I agree the higher altitudes tend to wear the pax out when there is no pressurisation. Great stuff when they are all arguing over some nonsense anyway....

RPP

[18-Wheeler]

Anyone care to post any photos of their aircraft above FL400? Love how the sky looks from that altitude!!

It looks just the same sorry mate. :)

[NZFlyingKiwi]

10,500ft in a C172, and looking up at the summit of Mt Cook. :)

[timetime]

FL280 in a cessna 206 doing photography:sad: WAS COLD SO COLD.

[aseanaero]

There was a Cessna P210 VH-SWM in Adelaide that had some unofficial altitude record at FL300 plus

The P210 was rated to 25,000ft , the owner was an old school 'hot rodder' and did a few unapproved mods . He lost his licence or got into a lot of trouble as he was busted NO SAR NO DETAILS in South Eastern Australia somewhere at a 'very high altitude'.

The aircraft was sold and the new owner ran out of fuel a few years later near Outer Harbour in Adelaide and the plane ditched , one pax drowned.

Any of the older guys in Adelaide remember this story ? I heard it second hand from 2 pilots , one was my neighbour who occassionally borrowed the P210 from the owner.

This was mid to late '80s.

[Disco Stu]

May or June 1969 after completing my Basic Para course at Willy, I was lucky to get a ride in a Mirage:D

Now the memory is a bit hazy on whether it was 60k or 70k. Either way the sky is purple/black and earth isn't flat!.

I had one hell of a good time and I am still smiling 40 years later. :):):)

S:mad:T it was good:ok:

[Aerohooligan]

9800' in a C172RG whilst trying to be identified by radar just out of Tamworth. Not that amazing I guess, but it was tough when full throttle height occurred at 4100'. Climbing at high RPM with about 19" of MAP is interesting... :ok:

[troppo]

Lockheed U2 70000 ft over South East Asia last night in a dream. Then there was the hostie but that's another thread...

[Fark'n'ell]

In a former life would be asked, Where are you going today Fark.
XXX was the reply.
Farknell mate thats is above 200 ft you had better take o2 with you I was told.:eek:

[VH-XXX]

DirectAnywhere, if you are climbing up above 10,000ft to any altitude say 15k in Class E and then straight back down again it would be more of a risk to actually change to 1013.2 meaning that if you forgot to change it back again when you came down you'd end up in more strife. But indeed you are correct. That being said though, you ATC people won't mind as you still see the same value being emitted from the encoder anyway.

For the record though, that Alt is marked as US and an astute viewer would also notice that the altimiter subscale is missing!

[Howard Hughes]

Of course these altitudes don't count if you aircraft is certfied to be there...;)

[VH-XXX]

HH, surely you don't think that a Prune member would recklessly and willingly take an aircraft above it's certified maximum altitude?

[haughtney1]

C208B FL150 with 19 meat bombs
B200 FL260
B757 FL430
B767 Fl420
DA 900EX FL490:eek:

[Arnold E]

Yeah I do remember this particular incident, was off Outer Habour had something to do with some missing opals I believe. Was all a bit shufty.:hmm:

[carro]

Up to FL250 in the DP. Have been to FL155 in a 172 (17,000' density alt)

[empacher48]

In my old job I had an Airvan to 14,800' with 7 punters on board... Mother nature did help with that though!

[Howard Hughes]

In my old job I had a fully loaded C-207 to 1500ft many times, mother nature helped with that too...;)

[empacher48]

HH would you believe in my old job, when we had 207's one had been to 27,000'

It was Turbocharged had the pilot and a photographer on board, with oxygen..

[Falling Leaf]

Took a Macchi 339 to FL470 above Ohakea on a test flight once, the upper level of CTA was FL460, so we had to get a clearance to re-enter controlled airspace on descent.;)

[kmagyoyo]

FL500 in a Pig...would have gone allot higher thou' but rules prevented doing so.

Have a drinking buddy who's ex USAF U2 so he pretty much pisses over everybody on this one. :D

These days...what ever the PERF CRZ page says :{

[Howard Hughes]

HH would you believe in my old job, when we had 207's one had been to 27,000'
Was it in the back of a B-747F at the time?:E

[Stifmeister]

FL410 in a Citation Mustang

trying to post pics, but dont know how, no attachment feature for me.

[Nunc]

12500ft in a Janus. No engine and no O2 but a bloody good thermal :ok:.

[Obidiah]

14,800' in a Pik 20, (a sailplane for the stink wing brethren) from memory it took just under 20 min to get there from start of the roll and released at 1000'

And that was well before we had global warming.:E

[Schumi - Red Baron]

2 feet in R44.....:}

[TZZ]

Fl 390 A320
11000 Pa28-181

[Ovation]

FL630 and Mach 2.2 in a BA Concorde Dec 10 1989 JFK - LHR :cool:

FL200 in normally aspirated Mooney (TCM IO-550-G) - Dens Alt was FL220

[soseg]

taken a 172s to 9,500 on two occasions with 3 people... got there quite easily imo... out over stawell / grampians and then over the mountain ranges between lakes entrance & merimbula (took a big short cut)

at that height you begin to feel "cool"
was first time i had to use pitot-heat as it got to -4 or something up there :)

[Raropilot]

Great thread!

13,700ft indicated in C172 over Aoraki/Mount Cook in the South Island. NO OXY

FL200 overhead Rarotonga, Cook Islands in EMB110 Bandit. OXYGEN

FL240 enroute AKL - NSN DHC8-300

:)