How High do Planes fly? And Why (2024)

FAQs

How High do Planes fly? And Why? ›

Cruising altitude isn't actually a fixed number — there are many factors that go into computing this for every flight. That said, planes generally fly at higher altitudes — usually between 30,000 to 42,000 feet — because the air gets thinner the higher you go.

Fuel Efficiency: One of the predominant reason because at such a high altitude then air creates less drag on the aircraft, which means the plane can use less fuel in order to maintain speed. Less wind resistance, more power and less effort so to speak.

Planes fly high for efficiency and safety. Their engines are designed to use less fuel at high altitudes, and — as any pilot will tell you — altitude is your friend because it gives you time for handling emergencies when they arise.

35,000 ft to 43,000 ft is the optimal altitude for aircraft to reach peak efficiency. It takes aircraft around 15 to 30 minutes to reach these altitudes and after level off the temperature is usually expected to be nearly 60 degrees F.

Commercial aircraft on the other hand, will be much heavier (even relative to their size) with passengers and payload. Wingspan is also (relatively) lower which impacts performance at altitude.To reach higher altitudes economically, commercial aircraft would need much larger wing areas.

Flying beyond the altitude of 60,000 feet entails the risks of structural failure, physiological hazards, and decreased operational efficiency. Commercial airliners are specifically engineered for lower altitudes, and exceeding these prescribed limits may also give rise to aerodynamic complications.

WBZ-TV did some digging and found it is actually impossible to open an emergency exit door mid-flight because of physics. Common passenger doors are about six feet tall and 3.5 feet wide. That means to open the door at 36,000 feet, you would need to overcome more than 24,000 pounds of pressure.

Commercial jetliners can fly as high as 41,000 feet depending on the plane. Smaller planes cannot fly as high since piston engines run out of oxygen and cease to produce enough power to climb higher into thinner air.

For Part 91 General Aviation operations the required flight crew must use supplemental oxygen for any portion of the flight that exceeds 30 minutes above a cabin pressure altitude of 12,500 feet mean sea level (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL).

High Altitude Jumps

These jumps can range from 15,000 feet to 35,000 feet in altitude! For civilians, jumping from higher altitudes means more freefall time. A normal exit altitude results in a 45 to 60-second freefall, whereas an exit altitude of 18,000 feet can add an extra 20 seconds of freefall to your skydive!

Why don't planes fly over the Atlantic Ocean? ›

There were difficulties navigating over the featureless expanse of water for thousands of miles, and the weather, especially in the North Atlantic, is unpredictable. Since the middle of the 20th century, however, transatlantic flight has become routine, for commercial, military, diplomatic, and other purposes.

Essentially, the term “coffin corner” identifies the upper limits of an aircraft's operational envelope when flying at high altitudes (above 25,000 feet). These limits are also referred to as the aerodynamic ceiling and are where stall and overspeed meet.

That's because conventional planes need air for both propulsion and lift, and space is essentially a vacuum.

By 10,000 feet, most people, including pilots, are feeling the effects of altitude. In an unpressurized aircraft, this is about where you'd start breathing from a supplementary oxygen source. The air pressure at this altitude is about 20 inches of mercury.

The cruising altitude for commercial planes typically ranges between 30,000 and 42,000 feet. Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design journalist with expertise in aviation, meteorology, and polar regions.

Advanced military fighter jets like the F22 Raptor, F35 Lightning or the Eurofighter Typhoon can reach altitudes of between 50,000 – 65,000ft.

The maximum height that a commercial airplane is allowed to reach when they fly is 42,000 feet, as this is the universally approved maximum altitude. This max altitude for airplanes is known as the “service ceiling.” Most commercial air jets fly at such a high altitude because it is known to optimize efficiency.