What height do YOU fly at ?

[Established Localiser]

Height = extra glide range in the event of a dead Donkey ! therefore I try to get as much height as Airspace and Cloud will allow.
Matter of choice I guess,
Just flown from Barton - Sywell today pretty much all at 4000ft where allowed.
EL

[flybymike]

Reference post number 9 Cavok ceases to exist below 10km not 5.
Mike

[BeechNut]

Where I live, it's more or less mountainous (highest mountains about 3000 ft), but with broad valleys with farmland. Valleys vary from about 100 to 800 ASL. So for putt-putt sightseeing, usually around 2000 ASL in the valleys; plenty of emergency landing fields; and in the St. Lawrence Valley, well it's one big emergency field. If I have non-aviator pax, I go up to at least 3000 ASL to get out of the chop. Cross-country, I play it by the winds for best efficiency and speed. Areas with few emergency landing choices, higher.

There is a sightseeing circuit around downtown Montreal. Very popular day and night. They start stacking us in the circuit at 1500 ft ASL (about 1200-1300 AGL), at 500 ft intervals, or even at 200 ft intervals if it is really busy. I entered the circuit with non-pilot passengers once at 2000 ft, at night; ATC offered me 1500 if I wanted to as there was nobody below me. I said "no thanks". The pax could see just fine at 2000 ft and I didn't want to give up 500 ft of decision-making time in the event that the squirrel in the cage got tired. In fact I would have taken higher but there were planes stacked above.

I did have emergency landing sites picked out just in case; a few wide boulevards and expressways, and the docklands. In fact last year a C172 managed to do an emergency landing on a downtown boulevard. Nobody was hurt. Only damage was a dinged wingtip from a street sign. Plane had to be dismantled to get it out.

[Ringway Flyer]

2k around a 'honey pot', such as Crewe or the Wrekin, demands eyes everywhere, so I prefer to be at 3k+ whenever possible, especially in those areas. It also gives you a bit more time to sort things out if the donk gives up.... And as high as possible over water! Btw - some allowance needs to be made for QNH - regional/local above airfields or in the local CTA - make sure you've set the correct one for where you are - and has everyone else?

[PompeyPaul]

Thanks

Thanks for replies. I really like this tip:

If bimbling or if site seeing is part of the journey (the norm), then I usually fly at 2,200. 2 reasons: 1 - I avoid the norm & 2 - 2k2 is an easy altitude to read as both hands in the dial are together.

[englishal]

Typically 4000-6500 MSL on a cross country "going somewhere" in the UK. Keeps you clear of all terrain and everyone else. Depends on airspace though. Sight seeing typically, 500-1000AGL.

US: Typically 11000-12000 over desert areas and mountain passes.

Not used 02 yet. Hoping to this autumn so I can get to FL200 on some of my trips.

[scooter boy]

When do you start to use oxygen ?

FL100-110 depending on what my sats probe says and how I'm feeling. Sometimes I start it lower if I am feeling the effects. I do not smoke and am pretty fit but even so by FL120 I am well aware of hypoxic symptoms.

I once had a couple of consultant anaesthetist friends in the back of my plane on an airways trip abroad - when one of them could no longer calculate the alveolar gas equation by mental arithmetic we figured it would be a good time to don the masks.

My ovation 2 has a very capacious O2 bottle and O2 is relatively cheap but filling a "fitted" bottle within the UK is not easy as there are not too many places with the capability to fill you.

SB

[cirrus01]

Have often thought that there should be an "unofficial" convention on altitudes around the London airspace ..........often get opposite direction traffic at the same level no matter what altitude ...........

I'm talking about flying around the London CTR class A, underneath the LTMA especially where squeezed by other airspace. It wouldn't cater for all flight headings but a suggestion would be to fly Clockwise =EVENS ( 1200,1400 ,1600 etc, Anti-clockwise = ODDS ( 1300,1500,1700 etc )

What do you think ???

[High Wing Drifter]

What Whirly said. If I have the headroom I will tend to find the height where the turb stops, but generally I don't bother trying to hold an altitude any more. If I get a bit of an uplift that wants to add 200' then I fly 200' higher - so be it.

[foxmoth]

On my list of most useless things in aviation - sky below you - fly high when you can.

[shortstripper]

On my list of most useless things in aviation - sky below you - fly high when you can.

Yes, but there's an awful long way to fall if you do I can't help thinking that if God had meant us to fly ... he'd have invented aeroplanes

SS

[foxmoth]

You mean he didn't?

[shortstripper]

No ..... but he's around in great numbers flying them!

[gingernut]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rw9BfTbHDE&NR=1

This guy doesn't seem to come across any conflicting traffic.(Nicked from Jet Blast)

Me mum never used to mind me going flying, as long as I didn't go too fast, or too high.....never did bother to explain.

[flybymike]

Foxmoth, I believe that altitude above you and not "sky below you" is one of the most useless things in aviation! Of course this goes hand in hand with runway behind you and fuel in the bowser,

[neilmac]

Low and high

Today was 2200ft followed by 500-600ft AGL with Rule 5 in mind. Took off at 0700L in PA28 down to Eaglescott,what a beautiful morning! With a bit of low level navex using Ord survey map with turning points to find, partial panel and stop watch. See you can make PA28 flying more challenging then back via north devon coast to Wiltshire. Mates idea, oh and also we have been at FL180 but thats another thread!

NM

[neilmac]

how high

CJBOY,

Yep pretty smug lol FL430,I always remember a story whether true or not your a biz jet flyer? Whatever ATC agency in the states
cessna" N XXXX report level and speed"
ah 100 kts 4000ft
after a few guys report higher and faster
Learjet pilots pitches up 350kts? at FL400 in a smart ass voice

Pause as the SR71 pilots says FL550 descending now subsonic!

My figures may be wrong but the scenrio was right!!


NM

[flybymike]

I think that was the same SR71 pilot who said "you aint never been lost until you been lost in a Blackbird"....

[mm_flynn]

The version I read was

Cessna 123x - we seem to have a bit of a headwind what is our ground speed?

Center - 85 knots

Lear 123LL - What's our ground speed?

Center - 320 kts

Eagle 1 (f15 in full afterburner)- What's our ground speed

Center - 785 knots

Sled 1 (voice sounds like it is in a space suit) - what's our ground speed?

Center - 1850 knots!

-----------------------
the other one is.

"Flight Service this is sled 2 can you give me winds at FL700?"

Flight Service - "And how are you going to get up there?"

Sled 2 - "We are descending to it!"

[englishal]

and fuel in the bowser

Unless you are on fire

Done FL210 once in the UK in a "light" aeroplane. Was quite interesting as the cabin altitude was 15000' and rising