Canceling IFR at FL630

mshunter · September 3rd, 2009, 00:00

After reading an associated thread about an SR-71, got me to thinking. Would you cancel up there if you could actually get there?

MikeD · September 3rd, 2009, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshunter

After reading an associated thread about an SR-71, got me to thinking. Would you cancel up there if you could actually get there?

Why not? Class A airspace ends at FL600

AviatorGator · September 3rd, 2009, 00:34

I'm curious, has anyone here ever been that high?

ppragman · September 3rd, 2009, 01:05

I'd cancel as soon as I broke FL600, then I'd go direct.

TXTBOOK · September 3rd, 2009, 01:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppragman

I'd cancel as soon as I broke FL600, then I'd go direct.

x2

AviatorGator · September 3rd, 2009, 01:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppragman

I'd cancel as soon as I broke FL600, then I'd go direct.

ppragman · September 3rd, 2009, 01:48

If its not VFR all the way up at FL630, then I probably don't want to be there anyway.

tjvpa28 · September 3rd, 2009, 08:41

Wouldn't you have to pick up a clearance to get back down through the class A?

Murdoughnut · September 3rd, 2009, 09:30

You'd probably want to be talking to someone incase you broke up and were incinerated on the way down. That way your wife could narrow your remains to a two or three state area.

fsiflyer · September 3rd, 2009, 09:55

I have a feeling that if you are that high up, you are flying something that is owned by a government agency. In that case they will have their ops specs which will dictate what you would do throughout the entire envelope of flight. My guess is that once you are up there and depending on where you are off to you may not even have any flight plan on file and if something does happen no one will be the wiser. In the news they will just talk about a VLJ that went down or something.

IslandFlyer · September 3rd, 2009, 11:49

Don't forget...once you cancel your IFR clearance to pick up that VFR cruising altitude!

360-179 = FL630.5
180-359 = FL640.5

And don't forget, see and avoid. Keep your head on a swivel for the VFR traffic up there!

Douglas · September 3rd, 2009, 12:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandFlyer

Don't forget...once you cancel your IFR clearance to pick up that VFR cruising altitude!

360-179 = FL635
180-359 = FL645

And don't forget, see and avoid. Keep your head on a swivel for the VFR traffic up there!

fixed it, does look funny.

IslandFlyer · September 3rd, 2009, 12:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas

fixed it, does look funny.

ah ha! Gracias.

shdw · September 3rd, 2009, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppragman

I'd cancel as soon as I broke FL600, then I'd go direct.

Except I would do some chandelles and lazy 8s first just just to say I did it.

jynxyjoe · September 3rd, 2009, 19:56

Do I have to fly at the 500's?

ppragman · September 3rd, 2009, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jynxyjoe

Do I have to fly at the 500's?

You're over FL600, you can do whatever the hell you want!

ppragman · September 3rd, 2009, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsiflyer

I have a feeling that if you are that high up, you are flying something that is owned by a government agency. In that case they will have their ops specs which will dictate what you would do throughout the entire envelope of flight. My guess is that once you are up there and depending on where you are off to you may not even have any flight plan on file and if something does happen no one will be the wiser. In the news they will just talk about a VLJ that went down or something.

I heard a F18 wanting do descend back into class A before, that was pretty cool.

scooter2525 · September 3rd, 2009, 21:16

It's probably not too hard to get direct when your that high anyways...

jynxyjoe · September 3rd, 2009, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppragman

I heard a F18 wanting do descend back into class A before, that was pretty cool.

Jesus, I didn't know they could get that high. F/A-18E/F says 50k plus, so I guess its possible.

Wouldn't wanna fall from that height.

MikeD · September 3rd, 2009, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jynxyjoe

.

Wouldn't wanna fall from that height.

The AF pilot, Joe Kittinger...didn't he test high altitude freefall from a balloon at something like 102,000 feet?

Those altitudes would make descent planning for a STAR fun...

ppragman · September 3rd, 2009, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by jynxyjoe

Jesus, I didn't know they could get that high. F/A-18E/F says 50k plus, so I guess its possible.

Wouldn't wanna fall from that height.

Seriously, if you ever look at the "time to die charts," and "time of useful consciousness charts" I think anything above about FL400 should be considered space. At FL600, you're not that far from the the armstrong limit, that practically is space.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Limit

ProudPilot · September 3rd, 2009, 23:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by shdw

Except I would do some chandelles and lazy 8s first just just to say I did it.

shdw · September 4th, 2009, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeD

The AF pilot, Joe Kittinger...didn't he test high altitude freefall from a balloon at something like 102,000 feet?

Those altitudes would make descent planning for a STAR fun...

You got it sir:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kittinger
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2004/...atiHayek.shtml

I can't find the site someone at my work was showing us, but apparently the pressures made his hand swell to 3 times normal size if I remember right (this was almost 6 months ago). Anyone have confirmation? Now I am pissed I can't find it.

at1024 · September 4th, 2009, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppragman

You're over FL600, you can do whatever the hell you want!

Just watch out for the space shuttle!

Orange Anchor · September 4th, 2009, 20:28

As I remember, he had problems with the seals on his gloves on the way UP and had to decide whether to continue or abort. He decided to continue. I do not remember if he had to ask for permission to enter the airspace approaching FL600.

Kittinger fell for over 4 minutes almost reaching mach 1 in the free fall. FWIW, Kittinger later flew 3 tours in Vietnam, was shot down after flying more than 480 combat missions in the F-4 and was a POW for 11 months.

View Poll Results: Would you cancel IFR above FL600?
Yes	20	54.05%
No	13	35.14%
I Dunno?	4	10.81%
Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll

September 3rd, 2009, 00:00	#1
mshunter Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,699	Canceling IFR at FL630 After reading an associated thread about an SR-71, got me to thinking. Would you cancel up there if you could actually get there? __________________ Airspeed is life, Altitude is Life Insurance. Going fast isn't a passion, it's a lifestyle... http://www.nukeracing.com/

September 3rd, 2009, 00:34	#3
AviatorGator Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Sunshine State Posts: 338	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 I'm curious, has anyone here ever been that high? __________________ ASEL AMEL CFI-II-MEI CE-500 SIC Gainesville, FL

September 3rd, 2009, 01:05	#4
ppragman Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sunny Juneau Posts: 3,749	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 I'd cancel as soon as I broke FL600, then I'd go direct. __________________ Fly the Super Bear Arrival, Report the Bear.

September 3rd, 2009, 01:48	#7
ppragman Old Skool Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sunny Juneau Posts: 3,749	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 If its not VFR all the way up at FL630, then I probably don't want to be there anyway. __________________ Fly the Super Bear Arrival, Report the Bear.

September 3rd, 2009, 08:41	#8
tjvpa28 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lake Worth, FL Posts: 131	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 Wouldn't you have to pick up a clearance to get back down through the class A?

September 3rd, 2009, 09:30	#9
Murdoughnut Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 6,091	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 You'd probably want to be talking to someone incase you broke up and were incinerated on the way down. That way your wife could narrow your remains to a two or three state area. __________________ Check out my fledgling photography blog ... http://bluesideupphotos.blogspot.com/

September 3rd, 2009, 09:55	#10
fsiflyer Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: From Los Angeles and based in Moscow Russia (UUEE, UUWW, & UUDD) Posts: 588	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 I have a feeling that if you are that high up, you are flying something that is owned by a government agency. In that case they will have their ops specs which will dictate what you would do throughout the entire envelope of flight. My guess is that once you are up there and depending on where you are off to you may not even have any flight plan on file and if something does happen no one will be the wiser. In the news they will just talk about a VLJ that went down or something. __________________ FSIFLYER CL30, HS125, LR60 ATP, CFII, MEI, former U.S. Marine Chief Pilot at a Corporate Flight Department in Moscow Russia

September 3rd, 2009, 11:49	#11
IslandFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 563	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 Don't forget...once you cancel your IFR clearance to pick up that VFR cruising altitude! 360-179 = FL630.5 180-359 = FL640.5 And don't forget, see and avoid. Keep your head on a swivel for the VFR traffic up there! __________________ "You will never "find" time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." -Charles Bruxton

September 3rd, 2009, 19:56	#15
jynxyjoe Old Skool Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Memphis Posts: 4,254	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 Do I have to fly at the 500's? __________________ I'm fine with pilots being allowed naps in cockpits, as long as we get to wear pajamas. End 16 hour duty days.

September 3rd, 2009, 21:16	#18
scooter2525 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: beehive Posts: 1,412	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 It's probably not too hard to get direct when your that high anyways...

September 4th, 2009, 20:28	#25
Orange Anchor Old Skool Join Date: May 2008 Location: ATL Posts: 2,320	Re: Canceling IFR at FL630 As I remember, he had problems with the seals on his gloves on the way UP and had to decide whether to continue or abort. He decided to continue. I do not remember if he had to ask for permission to enter the airspace approaching FL600. Kittinger fell for over 4 minutes almost reaching mach 1 in the free fall. FWIW, Kittinger later flew 3 tours in Vietnam, was shot down after flying more than 480 combat missions in the F-4 and was a POW for 11 months. __________________ Nobody told me there'd be days like this... strange days indeed! Strange days indeed!

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