Ovrpowrd727 From United States of America, joined Sep 2008, 96 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1904 times:
what are the altitude settings for twin widebodies?? how come when i track them on certain websites there all over the place from FL300 up to FL410?? i thought altitudes were similar to the airframe and engine configuration?? why so many differences?
P.S. twin wide's i mean 330's 777's 767's and 300's, any big twin that goes over any of the big oceans atlantic pacific or indian and arctic
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 1, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1903 times:
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Quoting Ovrpowrd727 (Thread starter): how come when i track them on certain websites there all over the place from FL300 up to FL410??
Many reasons, but weather, winds, and turbulence have a lot to do with it. The idea is to fly at an altitude that allows you to avoid weather and turbulence, and use winds to your advantage.
Also, if every airliner aloft in the country were to fly at the same altitude, that little slice of sky would get mighty crowded, mighty quickly!
Ovrpowrd727 From United States of America, joined Sep 2008, 96 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1888 times:
actually yes, a crowded sky is best avoided...so wait then, the weight isn't a factor i dont know the specifics on that
Lowrider From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 3220 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1888 times:
Airlines will try to fly at the optimum altitude for the plane. Factors affecting the optimum altitude for a given type include, weight, temperature, stage length, winds, weather, and routing requirements. On a long enough flight, this optimum altitude can change and frequently you will see step climbs, and occasionally step descents. If the optimum altitude is not available you will try and get as close as you can.
ANITIX87 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 3233 posts, RR: 14 Reply 4, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1884 times:
Quoting Ovrpowrd727 (Reply 2): so wait then, the weight isn't a factor i dont know the specifics on that
Yes it is. Many flights, including my two trans-Atlantics this summer, will climb to a preliminary altitude like 33,000 feet and then climb up to 37 or 39 thousand later on as they get lighter.
Also, remember that there are specific East-bound and different specific West-bound routings across the oceans that aircraft need to follow. This ensures the accurate horizontal and vertical separation.
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Tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 81 Reply 5, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1848 times:
Quoting Ovrpowrd727 (Thread starter): what are the altitude settings for twin widebodies?? how come when i track them on certain websites there all over the place from FL300 up to FL410?? i thought altitudes were similar to the airframe and engine configuration?? why so many differences?
The only altitude "setting" you'll typically see is maximum certified altitude. For weight reasons, you'll rarely see a commercial flight cruising at maximum certified altitude. Below that, as previously mentioned, the optimum altitude is a constantly varying function. Since a slow constant climb during cruise is a pain for the pilots and ATC, airlines approximate it by step-climbing on longer flights (for shorter ones, they just pick a single altitude).
It's *far* more a function of ATC and that day's particular flight and the particular point within that flight than the aircraft/engine combination.
CosmicCruiser From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 2211 posts, RR: 17 Reply 6, posted (4 years 8 months 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 1780 times:
We often see a "reverse" profile as we can T/O and climb to say FL330 because it's optimum but then descend to FL290 for the NA crossing since we usually are opposite direction to the tracks. We then climb back up at coast in.
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