Cruise Speeds

[biggles5128]

If you fly at 3000ft where I come from you would be AGL at ground level or very close

You'd be 500 feet below the ground where I come from, probably exploring for coal seam gas.

 

 

[Marty_d]

You'd be 500 feet below the ground where I come from, probably exploring for coal seam gas.

That'd be "fracking" airspeed then.

 

as in "I don't know how fast I was going, but it was pretty frackin' fast!!"

 

 

[Jaba-who]

The misinformation perpetrated here is very concerning.

 

Both that some people who seem to be flying don't know the rules for altitude requirements and then even more so that they post them for all to see that they don't know what their talking about. Very sad. ( and scary).

 

 

[dutchroll]

For what it's worth, CAR 173 (as we all know, CARs are applicable to RA pilots too)

 

173 Cruising level to be appropriate to magnetic track

 

 

 

(1)When a V.F.R. flight is conducted at a height of 5,000 feet or more above mean sea level, the pilot in command must, subject to any contrary air traffic control instructions, ensure that the cruising level of the aircraft is appropriate to its magnetic track.

 

 

 

Penalty: 25 penalty units.

 

 

 

(2)When a V.F.R. flight is conducted at a height less than 5,000 feet above mean sea level, the pilot in command must, subject to any contrary air traffic control instructions, ensure that the cruising level of the aircraft is, whenever practicable, appropriate to its magnetic track.

 

 

 

Penalty: 25 penalty units.

 

So that's about a $2.5k fine if Airservices or CASA decide they want to go after you for nonchalantly cruising at non-standard levels (which I equate to just deciding you're going to drive on the right side of the road because it doesn't look like there's anyone else around). Subpara (1) gives you no options above 5000ft. Subpara (2) gives you a "whenever practicable" excuse below 5000ft, but more importantly than the reg itself, it's just good airmanship to cruise at standard levels because you're lowering your chance of becoming bug splatter on someone else's windscreen.

 

"EAST - ODDS, WEST - EVENS", then for VFR you always add 500ft. It's not hard. ;)

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

An alternative is to go around the clock face: NOSE. = North-Odds-South-Evens (plus 500').

 

 

[ben87r]

I like " you always come across the oddballs first" but sounds more like relationship advice then aviation jargon

 

 

[dutchroll]

An alternative is to go around the clock face: NOSE. = North-Odds-South-Evens (plus 500').

Now you're messing with my mind......

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Now you're messing with my mind......

Ain't that wot tru learnin is?

Sometimes there's a safety issue with sticking to cruising altitudes. Coming home from Lake Keepit on Sunday cloud base was about 3500' above 1000' to 2000' land. Do you try to stay 500 under cloud or use the level most likely used by oncoming traffic?

 

 

[ben87r]

Clear of cloud is all that is required below 1k' AGL so correct cruising alt and clear of cloud would be the answer I would think.

 

 

[ben87r]

Not that that's always what I would do.

 

 

[ben87r]

Still doesn't make sense always with maintaining 500' or 1000' AGL

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

On a magnetic heading of 178 should I cruise just under cloud base of 3500', or 500 feet below cloud at 3000'? The hills reach over 1500' so that level is too low.

 

Luckily there's little traffic, but I'm trying to learn good habits.

 

 

[ben87r]

A025 in that case I would say, legally.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

A025 in that case I would say, legally.

Wilco, but north-bound traffic beware.

 

 

[dutchroll]

Ain't that wot tru learnin is?Sometimes there's a safety issue with sticking to cruising altitudes. Coming home from Lake Keepit on Sunday cloud base was about 3500' above 1000' to 2000' land. Do you try to stay 500 under cloud or use the level most likely used by oncoming traffic?

I'd stay comfortably clear of the cloud at the expense of a standard level in that case. With a decent lookout and radio watch you still have a good chance of picking up conflicting traffic. With a VFR aircraft and/or without an instrument rating, inadvertently popping into the cloud at low altitude could cause you a world of hurt in a short space of time.

 

 

[ben87r]

What I would consider is wether it is safer to be at A035 and clear of cloud:whistling: Know what I mean. If it's safe at Ao30 your only just above with more terrain clearance

 

 

[ben87r]

Just read Dutchies post, and clarifying the above meaning actually clear, as in well clear, if that was not available then the decision has been made for you

 

 

[Chocolate]

Perhaps switch to Bne / melb centre and ask if any traffic conflict in vicinity your height of xyz. Cannot hurt to ask. More and more adsb about so the info is getting quite detailed.

 

 

[metalman]

Watched a guy do a circuit on Sunday ,all the circuits here are to the east to stay out of a jump zone and keep clear of lilydale ( who do theirs to the west) ,well old mate does a normal left hand circuit which proved 1/he hadn't rung for permission, 2/ read the notams on the website re local procedures,,,,,but the thing was he tootled off through the drop zone and at circuit height for two airfields ,,,my ATPL mate made the comment he was probably using the "big sky" theory,so if you happen to see a red and white RV 7a ( with a training wheel) in the Melbourne area be aware he is not expecting you to be where he is ,,,,regardless of where that might be,

 

Matty

 

 

[JUSTNUZZA]

I thought this thread was about cruise speeds not altitudes ?

 

 

[metalman]

Started off on cruise speeds, then an error crept in and we got a heap of attitudes on altitudes which has got us onto cruising at altitudes with the right attitude ,,,,we are now looking at the regs on altitudes while cruising regardless of our attitude ,until we cop a huge fine ,,,then we'll see some attitude regardless of the altitudes,,,,,,,,got it!

 

Matty

 

Yeh I'm here to help,,,,you can thank me later!

 

 

[ben87r]

Higher the altitude, higher TAS!