Is it really nessecary for airplanes to fly 30000 and higher altiutudes?
2006-11-12 04:01:31 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
The air is thinner. hence the flight will be smoother. A lot of times, the low altitude flights are bumpy...Some planes are up there to track, so they need to be high as possible to get the photos needed.
2006-11-12 04:04:03 · answer #1 · answered by ? 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
As a space shuttle pilot, I personally think that airplanes fly pretty darned low! Just kidding. Yeah, it's all about smooth air and the fact that jet engines operate much more efficiently at high altitudes where the air is thinner.
2006-11-12 12:52:07 · answer #2 · answered by ta2dpilot 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The air is much thinner at high altitudes, and the engines on long-range jets are designed to operate at their best efficency in thin air. Also, since the air is so much thinner at high altitude the resistance against the aircraft (drag) is much reduced, meaning they jet burns less fuel for the same effect. This translates into much better fuel economy, leaving more money per mile for the airline. Also, airliners cruise at different altitudes with a minimum 500' of separation. This makes for a lot of different "lanes" for them to use, and makes it safer for many planes to be in the air at the same time, reducing the chance of collision.
2006-11-12 04:09:06 · answer #3 · answered by My Evil Twin 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Fly So High
2016-11-12 08:43:58 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jet engines are DESIGNED to fly at high altitudes. They get better economy. A jet aircraft needs to get altitude as quickly as possible. And second, the air is less turbulent and therefore a smoother ride. Pops
2006-11-12 04:06:29 · answer #5 · answered by Pops 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
At higher altitude the air is thinner and there is less drag on the airframe, the engines also consume vastly less fuel. As the air gets colder the engines run more efficiently until you get to about 36,000 feet where the air stops cooling down. There's also a change over between your ground speed being limited by indicated air speed and mach number. Below that height, somewhere around 28,000 feet, as you climb at constant air speed your ground speed inscrease, above that height as you climb at constant mach number your ground speed decreases... and so does your indicated air speed which ultimately limits your altitude as your indicated air speed at maximum mach number starts to approach your minimum air speed without high lift devices.
Passanger comfort and avoiding weather are important, but efficiency is king, that's why 747s were capable of M0.92 but more modern jets tend to cruise at M0.8 and max out at M0.875 or below. They can't back off the mach number much without reducing their ability to reach the most effieient cruising altitudes.
2006-11-12 04:31:47 · answer #6 · answered by Chris H 6 · 10⤊ 2⤋
Aircraft need at least 1,000 feet separation to keep them from a risk of collision. Also, at high altitudes, aircraft can avoid bad weather from below (e.g. storms).
2006-11-12 19:52:10 · answer #7 · answered by Jobfinder 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The primary reason is to fly above the weather that would be encountered en route at lower levels. Passenger comfort, safety, separation from other aircraft, & depending on direction of flight, to take advantage of the higher wind speeds that are available at the higher altitudes.
2006-11-12 05:40:47 · answer #8 · answered by No More 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
well im no pilot but my logic answer would be that if there was an engine failure the pilots have more time to restart the engines or glide long distance to the nearest airport so if your at 37000 feet and just over the ocean you might get to the airport.
2015-04-29 11:11:44 · answer #9 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah, the air is thinner up there so there is less air resistence and the plane is more fuel efficiant
2006-11-13 03:24:34 · answer #10 · answered by soccerknocker199 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋