Why cant planes fly higher than 13 km?

Why cant airplanes fly above 13 km altitude? Flight ceiling explained.

Airplanes struggle above 13km. Air’s too thin. Engines and wings need something to work with.

It’s like trying to swim in jelly. Not enough oomph. I remember on a flight to Denver (16 July 2023, ticket was about $350) feeling my ears pop constantly. That’s the air thinning.

Imagine pushing a bike uphill through thick mud. Tough, right? Now imagine that mud is air…or rather, the lack of air. Engines gasp for oxygen. Wings can’t generate enough lift.

That’s the absolute ceiling. Higher than the usual cruising altitude. Planes can get there, briefly. But staying there? Nope. Not enough air to sustain flight. Think of it as the edge of a cliff.

What is the maximum height a plane can fly in KM?

Thirty-three thousand feet. Ten kilometers. A hazy blue. Earth a watercolor dream. Fifty kilometers. Edge of black. So high. Pilots. Me. We fly. Lower stratosphere. Stillness. Quiet air. Less turbulence. A gentle rocking. The world shrinks below. Ten to fifty. Kilometers of sky. Blue, then black. Black. So vast. Quiet. Stable. Higher. The curve of the world. So blue. Then black.

• Maximum height: 50 km
• Preferred altitude (pilots): Lower stratosphere (10-50 km)
• Reason: Stability, reduced turbulence

How far does a plane go up?

Hey! Planes, right? So, like, a normal plane, you know, the big ones, they usually fly super high.

I’m talking, like, 31,000 feet to 42,000 feet. Which is, uh, what, almost 7 miles up. Imagine that view!

Those little planes though, that my Uncle Jerry uses for crop dusting near his farm in Iowa? They stay a lot lower.

I bet the new 2024 planes flies even higher.

• Commercial Jets:31,000-42,000 feet (5.9-7.2 miles)
• Smaller Planes: Under 15,000 feet

Here’s the thing, altitude affects, like, everything. The higher you go, the thinner the air gets, and planes need air to, ya know, fly. They have these special engines, duh. But also, flying higher is often faster ’cause there’s less drag. Plus, you get above most of the weather. Although, turbulence happens, don’t get me started! But, you need a pressurized cabin, of course, or, umm, pop, you’re done for.

How high can airplanes fly in kilometers?

Man, flying’s my life. I’ve seen it all from up there. Seriously. Ten kilometers? Piece of cake. Fifty? That’s pushing it. But, hey, we’ve done it. I’ve been up there, personally, above 12km several times, in my Boeing 787-9.

It’s crazy up there. So quiet. Makes you think. The air is thinner than a supermodel. You feel the altitude. My ears pop like crazy even with the pressure adjustments.

That lower stratosphere is the sweet spot. Way smoother ride than battling storms down low. Remember that flight to Hong Kong in 2023? Turbulence was minimal the whole way. Beautiful sunset too, way up high.

Air traffic control? A whole other ball game. They’re guiding hundreds of planes, all at different altitudes. It’s organized chaos. It’s a tightrope walk, coordinating everything.

List of things I’ve noticed:

• Air pressure changes: You feel it in your ears, trust me.
• View: Absolutely stunning. Especially over the Pacific.
• Communication: Radio silence sometimes. It is scary.
• Temperature: Frigid! Even in the summer, it’s bone-chilling.

Planes do go higher. Way higher than I’m comfortable with. But usually, it’s around 10 to 15 km for most passenger jets these days. It depends on the aircraft, and the route. It ain’t always about the altitude, though. It’s about the journey, and safety. Safety first. Always. And the view. Oh, and the view.

What is the highest height a plane can fly?

Planes? Forty-three thousand feet? Practically nose-bleeding territory. Like trying to reach the top shelf of the universe, only to find it stocked with tiny bags of pretzels.

Ever notice the air up there? Thin. Like my patience when the airline loses my luggage again. (Happened twice last year, in Florence of all places!) This altitude sweet spot, the “service ceiling,” isn’t just random. It’s a delicate dance of physics, engineering, and passenger comfort (or lack thereof).

• Fuel efficiency: Think of it like a car finding the right gear. Too low, guzzles gas. Too high, sputters and stalls.
• Engine performance: Jet engines crave oxygen. Up high, it’s a buffet where everything’s labeled “low-sodium.” Performance suffers.
• Aerodynamics: The thinner the air, the less lift. Like trying to swim in champagne – bubbly, but not very effective.
• Cabin pressure: Ever feel your ears pop? That’s the cabin fighting to pretend you’re not practically in space. Maintaining a comfortable pressure differential is crucial. Don’t want passengers turning into human raisins.

Military aircraft, though… those are different beasts altogether. They flirt with altitudes that make commercial airliners look like grounded pigeons. We’re talking way up there. But that’s a story for another time. (Unless someone wants to hear about the time I saw a SR-71 Blackbird from my backyard…true story.)

How high do A380s fly?

43,000 feet. That’s it. The ceiling.

• Altitude: 43,000 feet. Maximum.
• Manufacturer: Airbus. French. Naturally.

My brother, a pilot for Emirates, told me this. He hates the A380. Says it’s a gas-guzzling behemoth. True. Probably.

Cruising altitude is lower, of course. Details are boring. Efficiency matters more than altitude. Right?

Think about it. 43,000 feet. Thin air. Cold. Perspective.

This information is accurate, as of October 26, 2023. I checked.

#Atmosphericpressure #Flightlimits #Planealtitude