What's your favorite VFR cruising altitude, and why?

N659HB

N659HB

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I like to fly low and enjoy the scenery, but that's probably not the best strategy for a long cross-country (i.e. 100+ nm) flight. Because I'm a sport pilot, I have to fly below the clouds, unless they are widely scattered, and that's pretty rare on summer days. Cloud cover has limited my altitude choices on cross country flights, and on hot days that means a bumpy ride beneath the clouds, usually no higher than 3500'.

For those of you who fly several hour legs, what's your preferred cruise altitude? Does it depend mainly on winds aloft? Height of cloud tops? Passenger comfort? Fuel efficiency? (My Luscombe is supposed to be most fuel efficient around 7500', but the highest I've flown to date is 5500' through the pass from TN to Asheville, NC.)
 
If I was going someplace probably 8500 or 9500 just buzzing around usually 2-4000ft agl. On a trip I just sorta wag it but 90% of the time its 8-9500 just cause good ground clearance and doesn't take all day to climb up there.
 
Less than an hour, 3,000. More, whatever it takes.
 
9000 east and 8000 west unless winds favor higher!! Today was 5000 and put me between two layers which was totally awesome
 
I usually check the winds aloft feature in WingX to see which altitude is best for cross country flights. Local sight seeing flights usually 2000 to 2500.
 
5000 to about 8 for x/c flights. 1000-2000' for local hops. I've done 10k but it's very rare and I don't really like it.
 
I don't really have a favorite, I check the winds aloft and cloud levels and try to find something optimal between 4500 and 10,000 that leaves me with the most favorable wind and not having to dodge a bunch of clouds.
 
For a longer leg, it will be 11500 to 13500.
Shorter leg is typically 7500 to 9500.
My starting point out here can be a mile high at places.
 
Favorite cruising altitude is totally dependent on the airplane, the length of the trip you're taking, and the winds aloft.

In a Cub, Champ, etc. I rarely go much higher than 1,000 agl.

In a Cessna 150 or something similar, I'd probably go no higher than 4500 msl (I live at about 1000 msl).

In a Cherokee, 172, etc. I'd probably stay around 4500-6500 msl.

In an unpressurized high performance single or twin I'd probably shoot for around 6500-9500.

Of course winds are a factor, especially in airplanes that are slow to begin with. A 20 knot headwind is going to be a bigger deal in an 80 knot Cub than it is in a 180 knot twin.
 
Winds will almost always determine my cruise altitude. I prefer lower over higher when it makes sense, it gives me more to look at.
 
During the winter I'm usually 4,500-5,500. This time of year I'll usually go up to 7,500+ to get above the clouds as long as I know I can get back down. Had a 200 nm flight last week that kept me at 4,500 and it was bumpy the whole way.
 
Whatever altitude I feel like for the flight. If I can stay low I will. I like to see the ground and the nice scenery.
 
Depends on the range and the plane.

For mine normally under 2k AGL for under 100nm, over that like to keep it above 5 but below 10, actually fltplan does a good job altitude options for longer range stuff.
 
I have been VFR as high as 17,500 MSL. In Alaska I am usually 1500-3000 feet agl. Sometimes as low as 500 agl. In the high desert of NM, AZ it is usually the same agl which can be 10,500 MSL, but I usually like 13,500 or 14,500 MSL.
 
Winds aloft will be one of the biggest factors on selecting a XC altitude after clouds, but all things being equal:

In the 1 hour hops I do in my 182 I usually cruise in the 4500-6500 range (I got a few hills in my way at lower)

On the 2.5 hour trips I do regularly between Nor Cal and So Cal I will do 5500 if I am taking folks that have not seen the scenery down the coastline before, 7500-9500 if we just wanna get there and not deal with O2 but if I am solo or one other seasoned PAX I will climb to 12500-13500 which keeps me well above any terrain and a direct shot.

But when we flew from FL to CA...I was pretty much at 3000 AGL most of they way to enjoy the trip.
 
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mondtster said:
Of course winds are a factor, especially in airplanes that are slow to begin with. A 20 knot headwind is going to be a bigger deal in an 80 knot Cub than it is in a 180 knot twin.
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80 knot Cub? Mine barely does 80mph on a good day. :D
 
Just depends on wx and the mission. Scenic fun and local I fly low but at safe altitudes to deal with engine out. Going somewhere it is whatever burns the least amount of fuel. I generally fly a few feet off of being precisely x500 feet that way all the guys driving around on autopilots playing with their cockpit toys are not at my altitude.
 
I'm pretty much an "air above you, runway behind you and air in the tanks are useless" type. Everything else being equal I tend to fly at higher altitudes, within reason. If what's going on at the time says lower is better for some reason, then I fly lower.
 
10,500 or 11,500 since everybody should have an operating transponder above 10,000 and greater than 2,500 AGL. Usually the air is cooler and smoother and there is less traffic.
 
To quote a colleague, "It depends."

The 172 and 182 are normally aspirated and are happiest around 6500 to 7500 MSL. Best compromise between lower drag and decreased power as altitude increases. Do I always cruise there? Nope, you'll run into cumulogranite flying across the state if you do. So, you have to go higher, at least initially. Then there are winds. What altitude gives you the best? It depends on the weather that day.

Basically, you have to look at where you are going, how long it will take and other considerations.

If I'm making a $100 hamburger run and the destination is only 30 minutes away, less than 3000 AGL is fine. Longer and I might climb higher. And, as someone noted earlier, the higher you are, the farther you can glide if necessary. It's always nice to have that option.
 
1000'-1500' AGL, because I can see everything I need to see, and it helps keep me away from people that have their heads down.
 
4500-6500'
 
2-3 thousand local flights,7500-9500 long cross countries.
 
Nobody checks terrain or obstructions? For a mountain crossing, I climb early.

That's my primary concern. Followed by winds over the top.
 
Winds are my decision point, but I like 10-12 k in my Archer. I've only got three hours in the Lance so no clue what it likes.
 
I'd say 7500-8500. Air is usually smooth and cool 90% if the time. Climb starts getting a little slow after 9k.
 
I do enjoy Cub altitudes, but when one flies a lot in the desert southwest after about 10 AM, one acquires an appreciation for five-digit cruising altitudes. It might not be smooth, but it's better than getting beat up down low. Cooler, too.
 
It depends.

Here in the foothills of the Appalachians, emergency landing options are often few and far between, and altitude is your friend.

Flatlands, I may fly as low as 1,200' agl or so, often following roads.

If winds are favorable, I'll go as high as 9,500' - I'm limited to that operating under Sport Pilot limitations sans medical. But without oxygen, anything much above 7,000' for an extended time can leave me pretty fatigued by the end of the day, and kind of beat for about a day thereafter. So I'd say 4,500 to 6,500 is where I most often find myself, terrain permitting.
 
8500 - 9500 because it staves off hypoxia; but when the bumps get too annoying I'll do 10500 - 11500; unless I'm going west or northwest with higher MEAs
 
I always go above the clouds if possible without oxygen. I'm almost always IFR and it's usually 8,000 - 12,000. Like others have said, it keeps me above the majority of traffic.

My favorite altitude is just above the tree tops. Low and slow.

I avoid 3,500 like the plague. That's just asking for it.
 
Depends on what I'm flying. In the Baron I'm usually 8500-9500 MSL for best cruise speed/fuel economy. In the biplane I'm rarely above 1500' AGL.
 
asicer said:
10 minutes of climb per 1 hour of cruise per Sparky Imeson's book. Or 500' above MEF, as needed.
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I can go from engine start to level cruise, power set, at 7500 msl, in fifteen minutes, based at 326 msl.

For terrain, I like 2000' clearance, more if it's windy. Flying from WV into NC, I was always at 7500 or higher.

Now I generally fly past Atlanta at the same altitudes, even though the rat b@st@rds always tell me to "remain clear of the Bravo" whether IFR or VFR. It's time to do a 12,500 msl speed check and make sure I can get all the way across the ring in 30 minutes or less.
 
I got laughed at by a far better pilot than me for climbing to 5500' on a 40 minute flight (yeah you know who you are! :) ). Like cpt_kirk said, I'm not a huge fan of 3500 plus it was much smoother and cooler up there, plus I just like gettin high.
 
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