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Flightlevels...
Posted: 13 Nov 2006, 23:38
by DanKH
Hi
Could anyone please spell out the various flight levels used depending on your direction of flight (NSEW).
I know there are certain rules, but haven't seen them spelled out...so please explain as you would to you grandmother...
I always fly FL330 no matter which way I fly, but have a gut feeling that this isn't right...
Posted: 13 Nov 2006, 23:49
by Garry Russell
Arround our area anything flying a direction from N-S on an eastery heading flies EVEN 0-180
Anything flying on the westerly half is ODD 180-360
So for example anything flying
NE 34 000
SW 33 000
E 32 000
W 33000
Garry
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 00:02
by DanKH
What about NS or SN, or WE or EW ?
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 00:03
by cstorey
In addition to what Gary has said, the quadrantal rules, as they are called, are, up to FL 280
001 to 090 track odd thousands of feet/FL
091 to 180 odd thousands + 500
181 to 270 even thousands
271 to 360 even thousands + 500
So, for example, for a track Magnetic of 120 , levels would be FL 135 in Europe, 13500 feet QNH in USA
and for track 260, levels would be FL 160, 180, 200 etc and corresponding QNH settings in USA up to 17999 feet , and FLs above that
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 00:20
by Garry Russell
DanKH wrote:What about NS or SN, or WE or EW ?
I said anything in those halves and gave the heading range
That covers it
Sometimes ATC give instruction contrary to that
Garry
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 00:22
by DanKH
Ah got you now....thanks.
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 00:29
by Garry Russell
Hi Dan
In reality because they are flying airways there is a limited number of directions.
But most....not all have traffic flying both ways so it fits that rough guide well like that......around this area that is.
Just ensures anyone comming the other way will be at a different height
But other parts of the world may well do things differently.
Garry
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 01:22
by Chris Trott
cstorey wrote:In addition to what Gary has said, the quadrantal rules, as they are called, are, up to FL 280
001 to 090 track odd thousands of feet/FL
091 to 180 odd thousands + 500
181 to 270 even thousands
271 to 360 even thousands + 500
So, for example, for a track Magnetic of 120 , levels would be FL 135 in Europe, 13500 feet QNH in USA
and for track 260, levels would be FL 160, 180, 200 etc and corresponding QNH settings in USA up to 17999 feet , and FLs above that
Quadrantal rules aren't used in the US. IFR is restricted to the base altitude (thousands) and VFR is at base + 500 feet using the NEODDSWEVEN rule (000-179 Odd thousands, 180-359 Even thousands) from the surface to 60,000 feet. VFR is restricted to FL175 and below however. Above FL280, one must be RVSM-equipped or have deviation from ATC to operate non-RNAV in the upper flight levels.
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 02:55
by DispatchDragon
Chris
When you cut and pasted your Googling you forgot to ask it about RVSM
Leif
Posted: 14 Nov 2006, 20:18
by Chris Trott
No Google needed. I'm well aware of US altitude rules. I just put RNAV instead of RVSM again...
