How low can a commercial jet fly?


How low can a commercial jet fly? The Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91.119 indicates that, except when necessary for departure or landing, the minimum altitude over urban areas is 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and 500 feet AGL over rural areas.


What is the lowest a fighter jet can fly?

In combat, many aircraft will operate at altitudes as low as 100 feet and at high airspeeds to defeat ground missile radars and avoid sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, and enemy fighters.


Can planes fly at 40 000 feet?

Therefore, routes are often broken up using smaller aircraft along the way. Altogether, commercial airliners have the physical capability to travel up to 43,000 feet.


How high can military planes fly?

The speed record is also held by an SR-71, at 2,193 mph. This is not as high or as fast as the airplane can fly, however, it's absolute speed and altitude limits are classified. Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified.


What is the highest ceiling aircraft?

Question: What is the highest altitude an airplane can fly? Answer: The highest commercial airliner altitude was 60,000 feet by Concorde. The highest military air-breathing engine airplane was the SR-71 — about 90,000 feet. The highest airliner flying today reaches 45,000 feet.


What is the lowest legal flying altitude?

(c) Over other than congested areas – An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.


How many feet can you fly without oxygen?

When the altitude of an airplane is less than 12,500 feet, there is no supplemental oxygen required for anyone in a private plane. From 12,500 feet to 14,000 feet, supplemental oxygen must be used by the required flight crew for any portion of the flight that is more than 30 minutes.


Why don t commercial planes fly at 45k feet?

The sweet spot of flying is regarded as between 35,000 and 42,000 feet (the airline industry still uses feet and inches as its standard measurements) – too high and the oxygen becomes too sparse to fuel the engines, too low and the air resistance is greater.


What can fly at 80000 feet?

Can you fly at 80000 feet? The US Air Force U-2 reconnaissance aircraft flies at 72 000 feet almost every day for many hours. The world's fastest manned aircraft, the SR-71, flew for many years at 80 000 feet and higher.


What happens if a plane flies too high?

Aerodynamic altitude: If a commercial airliner flies too high, it will encounter less dense air passing over the wings to create lift. This can cause the plane to stall and fall out of control. Depending on the weather conditions and aircraft weight, this can occur anywhere between 40,000 and 45,000 feet.


Why do planes slow down mid flight?

All airplanes will be exposed to drag during flight. They must overcome this aerodynamic force to achieve and maintain lift. Otherwise, airplanes would essentially fall out of the sky. Air brakes are control surfaces that increase drag so that airplanes slow down during flight.


Why don t we fly east to go from India to USA?

Because the Earth is a three-dimensional sphere and not merely a two-dimensional flat, East-West surface. Because of this spherical shape, often times the shortest distance is flying more north and south, up over the Northern latitudes and the North Pole, rather than flying east/west over the Pacific.


Can a plane fly at 60000 feet?

There are no specific regulations governing civil aircraft operations beyond the altitude of 60,000 feet. Nevertheless, certain exceptional aircraft like the Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144 have managed to ascend to altitudes of FL600 (equivalent to 60,000 feet).


Can a plane fly 100k feet?

A: No commercial or business airplane flying today can exceed 100,000 feet. Special rocket-powered airplanes can fly over 100,000 feet to gather data, but they are specially designed for it.


Can you fly at 12000 feet without oxygen?

When the altitude of an airplane is less than 12,500 feet, there is no supplemental oxygen required for anyone in a private plane. From 12,500 feet to 14,000 feet, supplemental oxygen must be used by the required flight crew for any portion of the flight that is more than 30 minutes.


What do pilots see when flying?

Whether flying at night or during the day, pilots need to see some kind of horizon. They use this to determine the airplane's attitude. At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres.