High Altitude Jet Routes
 

So I took the advice of some people on the board and bought the maps of the United States with the high altitude jet routes overlayed on top of them. I brought them along on my trip from ORD to LGA this past weekend. As I boarded, I ducked my head in cockpit and told the pilots that I just bought the maps and hoped to follow along as we flew and asked them if they knew which "highways" we'd be taking. Both times, they quickly obliged and both times they made jokes along the lines of "make sure to pay attention just in case we lose our way." I was able to follow our route almost the whole way going (some clouds from Gipper to Cleveland). It was amazing. I was able to spot every highway and byway. The pilots even announced our progress more often than usual, adding the line "for those of you who are following along." I look forward to more such experiences in my upcoming flights.

I routinely bring my GPS along with me (on the airlines that still allow it) and pick out the highways, towns, airports, lakes, rivers, etc. as we pass by them.

It really helps to pass the time on the 727/737/M80/100/etc. planes that have no entertainment systems.

On a UA flight, you can ask for a HowGoesIt from the pilot, which covers a lot of this information...

PremEx,

Where'd ya get that map. I want (need) one.

Rand McNally store?

Regards,
Dan

bikenski,

Wow, that must be entertaining!
Could you name the airlines that allow pax use radio receiving unit on board?


2 Many Miles,

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the "HowGoesIt" thing?
I searched here and UA forum for it and found no reference of it...

dhammer53, check out IFR Enroute High Altitude Charts. I used to use these a while ago on occasion, and they really bring back memories. However, in this day and age, with onboard computers and GPS, the whole concept of Jet Routes is an anachronistic abomination to me. For example, we'd probably cut out 50% of weather-related delays if the airlines could pick their own routes, to say nothing of time/fuel/cost savings.

A listing can be found on Joe Mehaffey and Jack Yeazel's GPS Information Website at http://www.gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm

The site is also an excellent reference source for all kinds of GPS information.

I'm surprised so many airlines officially approve the use of GPS onboard!
Thank you!

nan358 --

Next time you're on a UA flight, just swing by the cockpit before takeoff and ask for one. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

2 Many Miles,

So that we know what we're asking for, could you give a very brief description of the HowGoesIt?

Thanks,

UAL Traveler wrote:
That's true to a degree ... free flight - the ability for airlines to pick their own routes - is being worked on and often times if ATC forgets ground holds and simply lets the airplanes go, it all works out.

The trouble comes at the airports ... you still have limited landing capacity so even if the planes are all in the air and picking their own routes they may get to the airport faster, but then be stuck in a holding stack for a very long time.

I got the maps from Sporty's Flight Shop. They have a website but I don't remember the address. I'm sure a search of Yahoo or similar will direct you to it.

Very cool.

FYI: http://www.sportys.com/shoppilot/

------------------
Tony

letiole writes Well, this is true if there was no accounting for nominal takeoff and transit times. But, I assume that an ATC departure clearance, complete with a wheels-up time, would be part of the system. I would think that with continuous monitoring and feedback of positional data and vectors for aircraft in the system, it would be easier to adjust terminal sequencing than in the present system. It seems to me that the published routes and approaches, which occupy such a tiny fraction of the available airspace, are really nothing more than virtually continuous choke points when a bit of weather, or some other off-nominal event happens.

Other than launching more programs to put up more VLA's like the A380, and convincing municipal planners across the nation that airport expansion must be given much higher priority than it currently has, I don't see a lot more that can be done to handle the forecast demand for air travel, other than to reform airspace, ATC, and air traffic procedures.

I just placed my order.

Thanks