This also explains why you feel the plane slowing down during landing. Thomas Carney, Professor of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue University. “Ten thousand feet and above, you can go legally to a much higher speed,” says Dr. “Oftentimes you will find that you will fly at higher altitudes when the winds are at your back.”Īn airplane’s potential speed also increases the higher it goes. “If I’m flying to Europe from Philadelphia, it’s going to take me less time to go over there than go back,” says Bob Cowgill, Managing Director at ACI Aviation Consulting. The direction of the wind is also an important factor. This, combined with the thinner atmosphere at this height, creates less resistance. “Jet fuel weighs about 6.7 pounds per gallon, so the more that you burn as you’re flying, you would actually end up losing a lot of fuel weight,” Jorgenson says. “The more you weigh, the harder it is to get to a certain altitude,” says Jorgenson.Īnd the weight of the plane changes as the aircraft climbs higher into the sky. It also isn’t the most efficient use of fuel to fly that high in the first place, he says, since planes can fly at a lower altitude with the assistance of wind.Īnother reason why planes don’t fly higher is due to the weight of the aircraft. Flying higher means it would take a longer time to return to a safe altitude in case of an emergency, like rapid decompression, Beckman says. Planes can fly much higher than this altitude, but that can present safety issues.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |