Flightlevels...

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 13 Nov 2006, 23:38

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...

Post by **Garry Russell** » 13 Nov 2006, 23:49

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

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 14 Nov 2006, 00:02

What about NS or SN, or WE or EW ?

cstorey · Post by **cstorey** » 14 Nov 2006, 00:03

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

Post by **Garry Russell** » 14 Nov 2006, 00:20

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

DanKH · Post by **DanKH** » 14 Nov 2006, 00:22

Ah got you now....thanks.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 14 Nov 2006, 00:29

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

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 14 Nov 2006, 01:22

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.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 14 Nov 2006, 02:55

Chris

When you cut and pasted your Googling you forgot to ask it about RVSM

Leif

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 14 Nov 2006, 20:18

No Google needed. I'm well aware of US altitude rules. I just put RNAV instead of RVSM again...