Originally Posted by Cba
Bored on the way to STL, I read in the in-flight magazine yesterday that the "typical" cruising for the AA fleet includes
33,000 ft Boeing Super 80
37,000 ft Boeing 777
41,000 ft CRJ-700
It is this last one that mystifies me. Why does it fly at higher altitude?
(I realize that most posts to this board are about why we travel, not how, but I figure someone here can provide a simple answer.)
I am certain that the magazine made an error: the
maximum cruising altitude of a CRJ is probably 41,000 ft; the typical cruising altitude is probably more like 24,000 ft or maybe 29,000 ft. I doubt it ever gets to 41,000 ft, let alone "typically" cruises there.
Even AA.com says the cruise altitude of the CRJ is 37,000 ft (confirming for me that the 41,000 ft is probably the max).
DC-9s (from which the MD-80 is derived) never were certified for the highest altitudes the way the Boeings always were, so the lower cruise altitude of the MD-80 is expected.