Why do planes fly at high altitude even across the oceans, when flying at lower altitudes require covering a shorter distance?
In: Engineering
The main reason is for less air resistance, which allows for faster speeds and better fuel economy which is a win win. It also allows in most cases to fly above most weather phenomena as the weather above the cloud layers is generally more consistent. There is also the benefit in some cases that you can take advantage of large, stable wind currents that further help gain more speed with better fuel economy. The extra vertical distance amounts to a few miles and a few minutes of flight time, but the majority of the hours long trips benefit much more from the higher altitudes
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