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

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

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.

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

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)

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

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

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:

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

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

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:

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

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

Me too, some at 12,000 (ground elevation was 6200). Needed 14 for short time to get over the Wind River Ranges to the east.

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

PR Canberra "50,000+"

SAR Helo "above ground level"

4500' ...... :(

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

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

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!

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'!

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-...361379_267.jpg

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: