Why do planes fly at high altitude even across the oceans, when flying at lower altitudes require covering a shorter distance?
In: Engineering
So you couldn’t just put the title in Google search and get the answer straightaway?! Are people really this dumb to not know when to use reddit vs google?!
What the others have said, but also because more altitude means more time to fix problems before hitting the deck. Speed is life, and altitude is life insurance.
In addition to what everyone else has said, imagine you have a double engine failure (extremely rare)… better hope there is an airport right next to you
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
Would you like to explain how you arrived at the conclusion that flying at lower altitudes requires covering a shorter distance?
Maybe when you can self-refute that idea, then you’ll understand the explanation for your question.
I’d fucking love it if an airline just said fuck it and did 500ft above MSA for the entire flight. Make me appreciate the speed from my window seat. Scare the shit out of ground wankers.
So, my best attempt at a true ELI5 answer:
You are in a swimming pool at one end, and you must get to the other end. You have two options:
You can swim all the way (staying at 5,000 feet).
You can climb out, walk to the other end, and climb back in (climb to 40,000 feet).
Even though climbing out adds distance (and requires a little more energy for the climb) you will use a lot less energy walking along the side of the pool.
In short:
Flying lower, reduces the distance very very VERY little.
Flying higher reduces drag ALOT, = less gas is needed and higher speed
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