Low Altitude Flying - Congestion - 9E5057 JUL 19
Jul 22, 2023, 4:26 pm
#1
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Low Altitude Flying - Congestion - 9E5057 JUL 19
I had an interesting flight from LGA to RDU the other day. The pilot mentioned a cruising altitude of 8,000. I thought surely once we get outside of the NYC area he would be able to get cleared higher.
Upon speaking to him on my way off the plane he says, “ya we actually got down to 6,000”. Again I’m thinking surely this was just for a short time.
Pulling up the flight on flight aware I was surprised. We briefly got to 8,000 only to spend the rest of cruise at 6,000. Very odd flight.
Anyway, glad we made it on time. Anyone else seeing this kind of thing? It’s been a busy summer.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/EDV5057/history/20230719/1910Z/KLGA/KRDU
Upon speaking to him on my way off the plane he says, “ya we actually got down to 6,000”. Again I’m thinking surely this was just for a short time.
Pulling up the flight on flight aware I was surprised. We briefly got to 8,000 only to spend the rest of cruise at 6,000. Very odd flight.
Anyway, glad we made it on time. Anyone else seeing this kind of thing? It’s been a busy summer.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/EDV5057/history/20230719/1910Z/KLGA/KRDU
Jul 22, 2023, 5:17 pm
#2
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Capping and tunneling are ways of increasing the volume of traffic out of a region or into a region when there are severe airspace constraints. The northeast and traffic headed through north Florida have had a fair number of flights use these programs in the past few weeks.
Here’s a description. https://www.fly.faa.gov/Operations/CapTunnel/zmp_ct.htm
Here’s a description. https://www.fly.faa.gov/Operations/CapTunnel/zmp_ct.htm
Jul 22, 2023, 8:20 pm
#3
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Looking at that route, flights other days last week also had various low altitude, or mixes of altitudes... so apparently not unusual for that route considering all the storms lately.
Jul 22, 2023, 8:54 pm
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~2008, CO Express: just after my flight from DAY blocked in, CLE ramp ops shut down for the better part of an hour and a half for thunderstorms, about the time the door closed on the connection to IAD, the captain came on the PA to apologize that we were facing a pushback delay of an hour or more due to weather along the route
a few minutes later he announced that he had talked to ATC; we now had a VFR departure with an interim clearance to 8000 feet, a final cruise altitude of 14000 feet, and a wheels-up time in 10 minutes
a few minutes later he announced that he had talked to ATC; we now had a VFR departure with an interim clearance to 8000 feet, a final cruise altitude of 14000 feet, and a wheels-up time in 10 minutes
Jul 22, 2023, 9:10 pm
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Friend used to fly that - staying below 10k kept them on ground control handing off tower to tower when ATC wouldn’t give them a slot at altitude. I may not be explaining it correctly, but I remember it was a way they could get the route to fly (even at much higher fuel burn) than having to cancel because they couldn’t get a slot at altitude.
Jul 22, 2023, 10:23 pm
#8
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that sounds about right; as I said, he got a VFR departure clearance to an initial altitude of 8000
from my long-ago days at Boeing Flight Test (and even longer-ago FAA ground school), I know that any flight plan at or above 18000 *has to be* IFR, but I believe pilots *can* file IFR for lower altitudes; that said, though, I have no idea of any specific language that pertains to transitioning from a VFR departure to IFR enroute
from my long-ago days at Boeing Flight Test (and even longer-ago FAA ground school), I know that any flight plan at or above 18000 *has to be* IFR, but I believe pilots *can* file IFR for lower altitudes; that said, though, I have no idea of any specific language that pertains to transitioning from a VFR departure to IFR enroute
Jul 23, 2023, 3:24 am
#9
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that sounds about right; as I said, he got a VFR departure clearance to an initial altitude of 8000
from my long-ago days at Boeing Flight Test (and even longer-ago FAA ground school), I know that any flight plan at or above 18000 *has to be* IFR, but I believe pilots *can* file IFR for lower altitudes; that said, though, I have no idea of any specific language that pertains to transitioning from a VFR departure to IFR enroute
from my long-ago days at Boeing Flight Test (and even longer-ago FAA ground school), I know that any flight plan at or above 18000 *has to be* IFR, but I believe pilots *can* file IFR for lower altitudes; that said, though, I have no idea of any specific language that pertains to transitioning from a VFR departure to IFR enroute
correct - you must be on an IFR clearance once you reach FL180. You can depart VFR, then pick up your IFR clearance once airborne. Pretty rare at the airlines but it is permissible if the specific Ops Specs (rules for that airline) allow it.
Jul 23, 2023, 6:18 am
#10
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Yes, there was a normal service in economy. Hot & cold soft drinks, alcohol for sale and a choice of packaged little snacks. However, the inflight Wi-Fi didn’t work. I’m not sure if that had to do with the altitude though.
Jul 23, 2023, 2:32 pm
#14
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Wi-Fi is automatic and turns on/off at 10,000.
Jul 23, 2023, 4:06 pm
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I thought turbine aircraft have to fly IFR. Might very well be wrong and never finished my IFR ticket when I owned a little plane about 20 years ago.