Upper air flight levels
 

Hi All - as recent SLF UK-S.A. and user of Flight Radar, I have noticed that UAS traffic occasionally cruises at intermediate flight levels (e.g. FL 315).
Does Australia allow use of cruise-climb technique heading up towards India/ME, and if so, under what conditions ?
Could it be to avoid turbulence ?
Tks in advance

Due to lots of space and little traffic Oz allows block altitudes. Where you can fly at any Altitude within the cleared block. With RVSM it's not really needed, but some like to do it.

And l don't know why!

halas

What halas said.

Oz ATC directive a few years back to not permit non standard levels. So now everyone gets a block clearance so they can flys at the non standard level due furbulencd or efficiency.

Outside the J curve and over the GAFA.

Haha tell that to the virgun guys

Sorry - I'm OK with the block idea, but please clarify 'j curve'

Cheers

The majority of Australians live on the east and southeast coastal fringe. Continuous radar coverage exists from north of Cairns, down the coast to west of Adelaide. When coverage is seen on a map, it is often called the J curve. Apart from radar cover around Perth and Darwin, the rest of the country is sparsely populated and sometimes referred to as the GAFA.

OZ ATC don't allow non standard levels......?? News to me. Block clearance not required. Just request it.

Have a read of AUS AIP ENR 1.7 3.1.2.1 and 3.1.3. :ok:

They used to allow it until there was a loss of separation around Darwin I believe. They seem fine with giving it when it suits them though, we were given non-standard FL250 today.

You on a "low" jet route down there, Aerocat? :)

It's a low jet.

Non-standard levels may still be given, but ATC need to know that you are asking for the right reasons, so you have to include the phrase ‘due operational requirement’ with the request. If you say ‘for ****s and giggles’ instead, the request will probably be denied.

Just prefer the block level myself these days. If it’s rough it allows me to bounce around different levels without having to bug ATC every few minutes.

The stupid thing is that a non standard level if requested was always ‘operationally required’ anyway. Either for smooth air or to save fuel. Insisting on it being ‘operationally required ‘ (without defining what that was) was as smart as some of the ‘climb via SID’, ‘descend via STAR’ stuff.

Like I said.....just request. They will either approve, deny or ask for more info.

Oh, I dunno, Keg. I’d often request nonstandard levels merely to assert my rugged individuality, or because I’m superstitious about certain numbers. And if they didn’t say “descend via STAR”, I would definitely throw in a couple of random 45 degree jinks and ignore all the charted altitude restrictions. :ok: