Aerial Pictures – Set 2

Here is another set of pictures taken from an airplane

For the majority of modern passenger airplanes the flight cruising altitude is 35,000 feet (10.67 km).

The “sweet spot” of flying is regarded as between 35,000 and 42,000 feet (the airline industry still uses feet and inches as its standard measurements) – too high and the oxygen becomes too sparse to fuel the engines, too low and the air resistance is greater. This optimum height is linked to the usual weight of a commercial jet – that is, heavier planes would fly lower, and lighter higher.

It would actually be most efficient to be forever climbing, rather than plateau when reaching say, 35,000 feet, cruising altitude, as the weight of the aircraft decreases due to fuel usage and the air thins.

Note: Concorde flew at much higher altitudes – 50,000/60,000 feet – where there were no other aircraft and so were able to cruise climb [that is keep climbing].