Cruising Altitude

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KyleMack

Filing Flight Plan
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KyleMack
When flying from CVG to PUJ recently at cruising altitude another airliner was coming in the opposite direction at the same altitude. I thought is passed a little too close. I thought that in typical cruising corridors one direction, as an example,
is 35,000' and the other 37,000'. Maybe there are times for altitude adjustment due to bad air turbulence etc.

Another time flying back from Austin to CVG, at night, I looked down out of the window (belly light blinked for illumination) and saw a Continental jet pass underneath wayyyy to close. Just a little surprised I suppose.
 
Get Flight Following. No reason not to if you are going anywhere besides a few miles.
 
KyleMack said:
passenger who likes flying.
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What did your pilot say?


Aside from that,
keep-calm-and-forget-about-it.jpg
 
At altitude the planes are 1000' apart in height, it always looks closer that it really is. Don't panic and go back to eating your peanuts.
 
At night, everything looks A LOT closer than it really is.

An aircraft at the "wrong" altitude could be climbing or descending, or perhaps just not as close as you think.
 
champ driver said:
At altitude the planes are 1000' apart in height, it always looks closer that it really is. Don't panic and go back to eating your peanuts.
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I thought peanuts were not served anymore because 1 out of a million have an allergy to peanuts:yikes:
 
MAKG1 said:
At night, everything looks A LOT closer than it really is.

An aircraft at the "wrong" altitude could be climbing or descending, or perhaps just not as close as you think.
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Thanks. It could very well be something like that.
 
Bonchie said:
Get Flight Following. No reason not to if you are going anywhere besides a few miles.
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All flights at "35,000 feet" are supposed to be IFR.

Aside from that, how does an airline passenger get flight following? :rofl:
 
James331 said:
What did your pilot say?


Aside from that,
keep-calm-and-forget-about-it.jpg
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I never talk to pilots, although one time over 20 years ago as I was getting off a plane, and there was my Uncle/Pilot who had maybe 2 months left until he retired. Right around the time of TWA/American merger or whatever it was.
 
1000' feet separation at that altitude and speed will seem MUCH closer than you actually are.

They are all IFR....meaning that ALL the airliners at that altitude art talking to ATC with assigned and restricted altitudes to prevent aircraft from getting "too close" which has an actual definition rather than just passenger perception.

Something has to go VERY wrong for two jets to collide mid air at altitude.

Long story short...worry all you want but they are not flying aimlessly in the sky. That is us single engines down low!
 
KyleMack said:
Thanks. It could very well be something like that.
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The nighttime effect can be startling the first time you navigate through it.

On my night dual cross country as a student, I easily spotted Sacramento from Altamont Pass, roughly 45 miles away. During a previous daytime flight, it was only just barely discernible, at the limit of visibility (and it was a very clear day).

Once flying toward SFO at night, my wife freaked out when a departing 747 crossed our path -- more than 5 miles away. That's real far for a small aircraft, especially since I couldn't fly faster than about half the 747's speed at the time.
 
Shawn said:
1000' feet separation at that altitude and speed will seem MUCH closer than you actually are.

They are all IFR....meaning that ALL the airliners at that altitude art talking to ATC with assigned and restricted altitudes to prevent aircraft from getting "too close" which has an actual definition rather than just passenger perception.

Something has to go VERY wrong for two jets to collide mid air at altitude.

Long story short...worry all you want but they are not flying aimlessly in the sky. That is us single engines down low!
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Thanks Shawn. Not worried at all, just curious. I enjoy flying and travel.
 
MAKG1 said:
The nighttime effect can be startling the first time you navigate through it.

On my night dual cross country as a student, I easily spotted Sacramento from Altamont Pass, roughly 45 miles away. During a previous daytime flight, it was only just barely discernible, at the limit of visibility (and it was a very clear day).

Once flying toward SFO at night, my wife freaked out when a departing 747 crossed our path -- more than 5 miles away. That's real far for a small aircraft, especially since I couldn't fly faster than about half the 747's speed at the time.
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Great view for a window seat when leaving. Usually view of all of Downtown then over Oakland (Cal Stadium etc.)
 
About 5 weeks ago I was flying into ORD with a Southwest off of MDW climbing out right towards us. I was at 7,000' and the SW was leveling at 6,000' and each of us had the other in sight. Obviously I'm loving the view, but my pax apparently didn't. I guess somebody pointed it out, and another pax started yelling and came up the the front frantically getting my attention... "Jeeze, did you realize you came just feet away from hitting that plane?!? We were so close I could even tell it was painted blue!!!" Lol
 
Cpt_Kirk said:
Are you a pilot or a "concerned" passenger?
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Good Catch... I was worried an airline pilot or somebody with more money than sense was asking that question...LOL

Reminds me of a young 1st lieutenant that was surprised that a non-military aircraft was leaving contrails...:lol:
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
About 5 weeks ago I was flying into ORD with a Southwest off of MDW climbing out right towards us. I was at 7,000' and the SW was leveling at 6,000' and each of us had the other in sight. Obviously I'm loving the view, but my pax apparently didn't. I guess somebody pointed it out, and another pax started yelling and came up the the front frantically getting my attention... "Jeeze, did you realize you came just feet away from hitting that plane?!? We were so close I could even tell it was painted blue!!!" Lol
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Flying through LAX Bravo was close enough to a SW jet on a converging path that I was able to wave at the pilot and get a wave back...had each other in site with visual separation while talking to ATC. Sure someone somewhere freaked out!
 
If people looked outside more often on airline flights, they'd be amazed at the number of aircraft that rocket past 1,000' below them, or opposite direction a mile apart. It seems close when you're at 35K ft, but it's really normal.
 
Palmpilot said:
All flights at "35,000 feet" are supposed to be IFR.

Aside from that, how does an airline passenger get flight following? :rofl:
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I thought he was using that as an example and was a private pilot.

As a passenger, he doesn't need to do anything but close his eyes.
 
SkyDog58 said:
:yikes:

Dude. You actually enjoy flying on airlines? WTF is wrong with you?!
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Flying is nice, great views of coastal areas. mountains, Grand Canyon, etc.
I do prefer using a service like www.ultimateairshuttle.com as opposed to large airports and having to arrive 1.5 hours prior to takeoff. But airlines are the only way to economically go just about anywhere. WTF is wrong with that? I like horse phuking island girls in the Caribbean........want am I to do take a banana boat?
 
KyleMack said:
Flying is nice, great views of coastal areas. mountains, Grand Canyon, etc.
I do prefer using a service like www.ultimateairshuttle.com as opposed to large airports and having to arrive 1.5 hours prior to takeoff. But airlines are the only way to economically go just about anywhere. WTF is wrong with that? I like horse phuking island girls in the Caribbean........want am I to do take a banana boat?
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Great answer.

We are all spoiled by avoiding the airlines as much as possible. But yes, for long distance travel there is no way around it. It does suck a little life out of me each time I get TSA-raped but I'm not dwelling on it.
 
petrolero said:
Great answer.

We are all spoiled by avoiding the airlines as much as possible. But yes, for long distance travel there is no way around it. It does suck a little life out of me each time I get TSA-raped but I'm not dwelling on it.
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:yes:

I just keep expectations at a reasonable level.
 
SkyDog58 said:
:yikes:

Dude. You actually enjoy flying on airlines? WTF is wrong with you?!
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Got to agree. Maybe we are just spoiled. I've had some long days flying GA with weather delays and mechanical problems.

But now that I started flying airlines 3-4x a month for work I have determined that airline flying absolutely sucks and its less reliable than flying myself.
 
Curvature of the earth makes 1000' look like the same altitude at closing distances. It is a bit spooky.
 
coloradobluesky said:
Curvature of the earth makes 1000' look like the same altitude at closing distances. It is a bit spooky.
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I've noticed the same thing with cloud heights in Arizona, even though they're a lot more than a thousand feet above me!
 
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