What's your Average Altitude

Average Altitude

  • Total voters
    73
  • Poll closed .
N8894J

N8894J

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
26
Location
Mabelvale, Arkansas
Display Name
mjlowry
Home Airfield
1M1; NLR, Arkansas
What is your average altitude when flying VFR on a pleasure flight or just buzzing around for the afternoon?

My average is 3500' to 4500'.
 
3500 - 5500 depending on what I am doing and airspaces etc.

~Jay
 
2000-3000 for short, fun flights. Unless it's bumpy. Then I might climb till it's smooth. Or not.
 
I usually cruise at 8 to 10K depending on the trip time, ride and winds.

For around the patch (which I rarely do) - 5280 feet +/-
 
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If I am in the area that I am familiar with. Just buzzing around. I'm going to be less than 1,000 AGL.

But this area of the state is nothing but flat fields. Everywhere you look is a good landing spot.

Though I must say. The one time I did go up real high to just "buzz around" it payed off well when I had to glide back to the airport with no power from the engine.
 
In the local area where I know all the outs, 2500.

On cross countries where I don't, 7000+.

Dan
 
Weather permitting, 5500 Eastbound and 4500 Westbound. None of the choices fit.<img>
 
Altitude totally depends on what I'm doing and the weather and terrain.

Typical long range XC 4000-8000AGL. Sometimes 9-12K. Other times, XC at 1000AGL. If I go to the mountains, I'm looking up at rocks on both sides so that could be counted as negative average local AGL. It just depends.
 
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Depends on where I am and what I'm doing. Potting around locally? <3000 AGL. Crossing the Cascades? As high as the plane will go that day, consistent with VFR cruise altitudes (oxygen hasn't been an issue, 12,500 MSL is as high as I've gone crossing the mountains, and we weren't there all that long). Saturday, 4,500 MSL west bound and 5,500 MSL east bound to look for smoother air.
 
My altitude is almost completely dependent upon winds aloft forcast, turbulence, time of flight, and pax.

I have a regular solo 300 mile run that I complete at least every two weeks. 75% of the time I'll file 9,000 going down and 3,000 or 4,000 coming back.

I will try to not go above 7000 with the kids on board as it seems to give them unpleasant physiological effects. I try to not climb or descend at greater than 300 fpm with them on board.

If I'm flying with my wife I'll pick the smoothest spot I can find, winds be damned. Her comfort is more important. Well, truthfully, her not leaving her lunch in the plane is most important.


If I'm flying at night I'll fly as high as is practical(still less than 12,000) to give the most margin for an engine out scenario. I do not like to fly at night with the wife and kids.

Clear as mud?

James Dean
 
Oops, should have read the whole question first. 8500 / 9500 was only for X-countries

Otherwise 1500 AGL is fun.
 
Re: What's your Average Altitude Need new category!

We need a < 1000 agl category for us rotorheads!

Usually I fly helicopters at around 700 agl, sometimes crossing high points, if there's no reason to suspect nastiness, at somewhat less. The tower tops on ridges are usually higher than I am :yes:
 
Re: What's your Average Altitude Need new category!

RotaryWingBob said:
We need a < 1000 agl category for us rotorheads
Click to expand...


Sorry Bob since I don't fly a rotorhead I didn't think about it.
 
N8894J said:
What is your average altitude when flying VFR on a pleasure flight or just buzzing around for the afternoon?
Click to expand...

My average is probably 5,750.

Len
 
When I am just flying around the area I stay under 3000'. If I am going cross country I fly above 5500'.
 
<5500' if I can, but since I do a lot of flying in and around mountains, >7500 is where I spend a lot of time.

Judy
 
Depends on the type of flying I'm doing. If I'm in the pattern it's 1,500, if I'm doing practice approaches it's 2,500, If I'm doing short cross countries it's 2,500 to 3,500 and If I'm doing long cross countries it's anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000. So I voted for the middle as an average.

Jeannie
 
5500 or 6500 depending on direction or higher if it has not smoothed out (but thats rare)
 
Re: What's your Average Altitude Need new category!

RotaryWingBob said:
We need a < 1000 agl category for us rotorheads!

Usually I fly helicopters at around 700 agl, sometimes crossing high points, if there's no reason to suspect nastiness, at somewhat less. The tower tops on ridges are usually higher than I am :yes:
Click to expand...


Agreed! I rarely am above 500', unless in the rare case I'm flying over land then it's 750' for eastbound flights and 1250' for westbound.
 
Oops - I missed the AGL part too. I suspect that my 7500 or higher is probably more like 3500 agl or so. 7500 is below airport elevation for some of the airports out here.
 
he said 'pleasure flight' and 'just buzzing around'.

The possible responses area all "AGL".

To me, this means 'sightseeing with no destination in mind' and 'various headings'.

What on earth can you see above 3500'agl if you are sightseeing??

Unless a reg or safety demands it, I would bet -based on what I have seen such airplanes do- that most people would not be above 2000'agl.

I suppose some pax would enjoy seeing the curvature of the earth!
 
N8894J said:
What is your average altitude when flying VFR on a pleasure flight or just buzzing around for the afternoon?
Click to expand...

5,000. That is, when I do a 30-100nm $100 burger flight, I do the westbound leg at 4500 and the eastbound at 5500 in general. IFR, 4000, 5000, or 6000 for the shorter hops.

Longer distances, I'll go higher. 8500/9500 between here and LEX a couple of times, and all the way up to 12500 last summer going to Gaston's and Gaston's to Houston.

City tours (take off, fly down the isthmus, around the capitol, over campus, back to the field) I do at 2500. Better view of the sights.
 
N8894J said:
What is your average altitude when flying VFR on a pleasure flight or just buzzing around for the afternoon?

My average is 3500' to 4500'.
Click to expand...

Now that I notice the AGL my answer would be 1000-1500 for pleasure flying and flightseeing. Sometimes lower if looking at something special. Higher if the bumps get bad on the way home. Never more than three.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
The possible responses area all "AGL".
Click to expand...

Huh? I only see the first one as "less than 3000' AGL" which I took to mean "hemispheric rules don't apply." Then there's a bunch of regular VFR altitudes. I'm guessing the poster is an east-coaster 'cuz there's not a whole lot of other places where you can actually use 3500' and not be less than 3000 AGL. :D
 
Both my planes are turbocharges and really don't function efficiently until above 8,000. Course, for a short local flight, I wouldn't do that, but if I'm heading anywere outside the local area, I usually head up there.

In the P-Baron, I usually go at 10 or 11 if against the wind if on a trip of any distance. 20 or 21,000 if favorable winds.

Dave
 
Re: What's your Average Altitude Need new category!

Laurie said:
Agreed! I rarely am above 500', unless in the rare case I'm flying over land then it's 750' for eastbound flights and 1250' for westbound.
Click to expand...

I was told helicopter pilots got nose bleeds if they fly above 500'agl.:D
 
Just tooling around locally its 2,000 ft. AGL and that is 7,500 ft MSL here. On cross countries its higher. To clear terrain anywhere from 4,000 AGL and up.
 
ejensen said:
Poll is AGL. I assumed MSL too so answered the high choice too.
Click to expand...

Oops, I also missed the AGL. I usually fly 1000'-2000' AGL, depending on the terrain. Sometimes I fly 0' AGL, depending on how you count it (i.e., I will fly down valleys below the surrounding peaks).

Judy
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Huh? I only see the first one as "less than 3000' AGL" which I took to mean "hemispheric rules don't apply." Then there's a bunch of regular VFR altitudes. I'm guessing the poster is an east-coaster 'cuz there's not a whole lot of other places where you can actually use 3500' and not be less than 3000 AGL. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think that's what I was thinking, too.

Judy
 
judypilot said:
Sometimes I fly 0' AGL, depending on how you count it (i.e., I will fly down valleys below the surrounding peaks).

Judy
Click to expand...

:yes: Put that way, -1000 agl is my favorite place to be.
 
judypilot said:
Oops, I also missed the AGL. I usually fly 1000'-2000' AGL, depending on the terrain. Sometimes I fly 0' AGL, depending on how you count it (i.e., I will fly down valleys below the surrounding peaks).

Judy
Click to expand...

FUN!!!
 
Sorry that I haven't had time to keep up with you guys but my dad went in the hospital the night that I started this poll and is still not doing very well. But I can see that you talked it out among yourselves due to my lack of input....true pilots!

I am somewhat surprised at the confusion of the “MSL” that was missing on the altitudes above 3,000’! Did I ASSUME too much? Looks like I brought that on myself....lol. I guess I should have entered all the VFR altitudes to make it easier and less confusing....but what the heck it gave you all something to discuss among yourselves.

While it is true that I did not put MSL on the altitudes above 3000' AGL is because that in FAA hunting book that is issued each year....the FAR/AIM (pun intended...lol) under Federal Aviation Rule 91.159 it states;

“That any VFR flight operating below 18,000' MSL, these are the flight rules; except while holding in a holding pattern or 2 minutes or less, or while turning, each person operating an aircraft under VFR in level cruising flight more that 3,000 above the surface shall maintain the appropriate altitude or flight level prescribed below, unless otherwise authorized by ATC.”


Above 3000' AGL (above the surface) and below 18,000’ MSL it states; that while flying a magnetic course from 0 degrees to 179 degrees you fly at odd thousands + 500' MSL; and while flying a magnetic course from 180 degrees to 359 degrees you fly at even thousands + 500' MSL.

And now here is a simple question just for fun….how do you put a giraffe in an icebox?

The answer; “you open the door and put him in”….lol.
 
N8894J said:
What is your average altitude when flying VFR on a pleasure flight or just buzzing around for the afternoon?
Click to expand...

Since I rarely fly VFR on any xc flight in the twin, I'll answer WRT flying the taildragger and in that I'm usually between 500 AGL and 1500 AGL. It's pretty much a "low and slow" airplane.

Now if you had asked what altitude range I usually stick to on xc flights when there isn't a compelling reason to be higher or lower (winds, ice, terrain, radar coverage etc) I'd pick 9000-10000.
 
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