That has everything to do with the altitude. Most planes are flying above the troposphere, where weather events usually happen, according to Traveller. Of course, turbulence still happens on airplanes, but you may be surprised to know that it happens a great deal less because of the high altitude of many commercial flights.
According to The Points Guy , when planes run into air pockets and fierce winds, air traffic controllers can sometimes suggest different altitudes to avoid it. According to USA Today , flying higher can actually minimize turbulence. According to Traveller , should something happen that would warrant an emergency landing, the high altitude gives pilots much longer to fix the situation or find a safe place to land than if they were on a light aircraft cruising at 10, feet.
Not all planes are made to cruise at the same altitude. A flights direction as mentioned above , the amount of turbulence based on reports by other pilots in the air , and flight duration are also factors. By Andrea Romano September 08, Save Pin FB More.
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Podcast: What you need to know about return of international travel Contains:. Can you come home? Europe's coolest country is also its most vaccinated Contains:. Photo: iStock Share Post on facebook wall Share on twitter Share via Email Pin to Pinterest Share on Google Plus It would be reasonable to wager that the majority of air passengers have never questioned why the traditional flight altitude is 35, feet 10, metres.
Why do planes fly so high? The higher the better One of the central reasons behind aircraft altitude is that, as the air gets thinner with every foot climbed, planes can travel more easily and therefore move faster and burn less fuel, saving money. Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. Photo: iStock. In fact, a lower altitude can put too much strain on the engine and cause it to run at a higher speed than what it is able to handle.
This means a less-efficient engine that costs money and puts a strain on the entire plane. Higher altitudes mean less thrust for the plane because the air is thinner yet a high compression ratio and thermal efficiency can be maintained. The plane gets a much higher true air speed TAS than it would at a lower level because planes are always able to fly faster once the engine is burning less fuel. There is also much less resistance, or drag, at a higher altitude. Both lift and thrust depend on how dense the air is, which means that the ideal lift and thrust only happen at higher altitudes.
Commercial turbo jet airplanes usually fly below the speed of sound and can weigh quite a bit. When they fly at 30, feet, they get less drag and therefore can reach those top speeds safely.
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