What is the highest you have flown (excluding Concorde)

[NYCguy]

Commercial aircraft - FL420, 757-200.

Corporate aircraft - FL510, Global Express.

 

[oz_mark]

Is this a newish thing? I am sure all might flights (that I've bothered to look at) have been in the FL350 range. I do remember when seeing FL375 etc thinking to myself we are higher than normal.

It varies a bit. I've had lofty flights and I've had rather lowish flights as well

 

[medhead]

I don't know about that.. there were dogs and monkeys used in the early space era days on one-way rockets..

I haven't checked but I doubt those rockets left orbit, whereas the reference to Apollo 13 aludes to it travelling the furtherest distance beyond the dark side of the moon.

However, I'd say that Apollo 13 never flew, as per the title of the thread, due to it's total lack of an aerodynamic lifting surface and also the lack of atmosphere in the vicinity of the moon in whihc to fly.

 

[Evan]

Commercial aircraft - FL420, 757-200.

Corporate aircraft - FL510, Global Express.

Wow FL510 had me checking what the max was but i see that is the service ceiling. But a 0.85 cruise and a max of 0.89 is certainly fast for a corp jet ! They are good these days thats for sure, i guess the higher FL is to avoid more turbulence that would not affect a large jet as much.

 

[JohnK]

From memory I have been in an aircraft that has flown at ~40,000 feet. Most of the time I am viewing the flight path the aircraft is flying between 36,000-39,000 feet....

 

[serfty]

Standard 747 longhaul is from around FL330 with full fuel load, rising to around FL380 and even FL400 just before descent as the fuel load reduces.

I remember flying @ FL420 between HKG and MEL "To avoid some anticipated tropical thunderstorm Cell weather".

 

[wallacej]

most of mine have been around 33-39 also. Did a MEL HBA on DJ cpl weeks ago. Felt high, and we were. Surprised such a short leap we were at 44. That was higher than any of the pacific leaps i have done.
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[docjames]

FL440 MEL-HBA - really? Wow. Why would they bother, the fuel used getting there for the savings en-route wouldnt justify it!


FL430 i've seen quite a few times, the occasional FL450. Usually near end of LAX-Aus or SIN-LHR.

FL430 all the way from SCL-AKL was interesting - gee it got cold outside (-57 iirc), virtually flying over antarctic in middle of the night! Stars were amazing, so bright with no other light around.

 

[NM]

FL44 MEL-HBA - really? Wow. Why would they bother, the fuel used getting there for the savings en-route wouldnt justify it!


FL43 i've seen quite a few times, the occasional FL45. Usually near end of LAX-Aus or SIN-LHR.

FL43 all the way from SCL-AKL was interesting - gee it got cold outside (-57 iirc), virtually flying over antarctic in middle of the night! Stars were amazing, so bright with no other light around.

I think you may need to revise your FL numbers up by a factor of 10.

FL44 is 4,400 feet. Quite low for a Bass Strait crossing in a commercial airliner. So unless you were doing it in a C172, I expect you really meant FL440 (44,000 feet).

 

[Warks]

So on a related subject does anyone know the fastest they have flown? I don't think I've seen speed on a domestic flight in recent years but I do recall it on international flights. Fastest by far was in the Roaring Forties back from Harare - can't recall speed but I do recall it was way higher than I'd ever seen. Someone told me they nearly went 'supersonic' on that route once. A guru will explain why it's not possible and 'possible' at the same time.

 

[albatross710]

I think you may need to revise your FL numbers up by a factor of 10.

FL44 is 4,400 feet. Quite low for a Bass Strait crossing in a commercial airliner. So unless you were doing it in a C172, I expect you really meant FL440 (44,000 feet).

Is a reference to FL below 10,000' ever used? I thought below the transition altitude 10,000-11,000 height is given above sea level.

 

[Evan]

I think you may need to revise your FL numbers up by a factor of 10.

FL44 is 4,400 feet. Quite low for a Bass Strait crossing in a commercial airliner. So unless you were doing it in a C172, I expect you really meant FL440 (44,000 feet).

Is FL410 not the service ceiling for a B737NG and FL390 for an A320 ?

 

[medhead]

A guru will explain why it's not possible and 'possible' at the same time.

I'm no guru but it must be due to difference between ground speed and airspeed. There is a limitation on speed of movement through the air, but if the air is moving fast in the same direct then the speed relative to an external frame of reference (i.e. the ground) could be higher then the speed through the air. or something like that, I guess.

Does the inflight map display ground speed?

 

[Evan]

Is a reference to FL below 10,000' ever used? I thought below the transition altitude 10,000-11,000 height is given above sea level.

Well for sure in my light plane days i never used FL. (NSW & QLD regional airports) but 8000 was about all i ever flew since no o2 or pressurization.

 

[wallacej]

The fastest (ground speed) was once again, over the Pacific. fluctuated between 1000-1100 kmh - tail wind I guess. Normally around the 800kmh speed on that route.

Fastest speed I recorded was on my Tom Tom GPS (windows seat) 740kmh... poor thing couldn't keep up

 

[samh004]

Fastest speed I recorded was on my Tom Tom GPS (windows seat) 740kmh... poor thing couldn't keep up

Is that allowed on a plane? I'd love to try that, but I'd of thought using a GPS system would be banned for the same reason as mobile phones?

 

[bambbbam2]

Is this a newish thing?

If memory serves it was a 743 flight not long before they departed. (Hallowed by thy name)

It was on the Per-Syd leg and i remember seeing that figure somewhere after adelaide..

 

[NM]

Does the inflight map display ground speed?

Yes, it shows ground speed and usually in km/h and miles/h.

Of course the aircraft's flight characteristics and hence speed limitations are based on airspeed. So its quite possible for the ground speed to exceed the aircraft's certified maximum airspeed while the aircraft is well within its designed operating envelope. Tail winds can be very significant in some parts of the world.

 

[NM]

Is that allowed on a plane? I'd love to try that, but I'd of thought using a GPS system would be banned for the same reason as mobile phones?

A hand-held GPS is a radio receiver, not a transmitter like a phone. Technically anything using an antenna for receiving radio signals will also generate some level of radiated energy and that level must be below a certain amount for a device to receive certain certifications.

So most airlines do not ban the use of hand-held GPS devices during cruise. But as with all electronic devices, they must be turned off during take-off and landing. Some people, including some cabin crew, may look at a hand-held GPS device and assume its a phone or radio transmitter and request that it not be used.

 

[NM]

Is FL410 not the service ceiling for a B737NG and FL390 for an A320 ?

737-400 = 37,000 feet
737-800 = 41,000 feet
A320 (all models) = 39,000 feet

So, yes, FL440 is unlikely to be seen over bass strait.