Title: How and Why Planes Have to Fly So High | Time
Headings: Here's How High Planes Actually Fly, According to Experts
Here's How High Planes Actually Fly, According to Experts
How high do planes actually fly?
Why don’t small private planes or helicopters fly at the same height?
So how does the height compare to obstacles in the sky? Do birds ever get in the way?
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Content: As the plane ascends, the level of oxygen decreases, which can cause rapid decompression for an aircraft that is not pressurized in the same way as a commercial airplane. What about helicopters? Choppers are mainly designed to fly short distances and typically fly much lower than airplanes, normally at under 10,000 feet. They are also unable to ascend to the same height an airplane can because instead of wings, helicopters fly by rotating blades. So how does the height compare to obstacles in the sky? Do birds ever get in the way? Birds are most likely to obstruct planes at lower altitudes, and can present problems during takeoff and landing. The extreme case of that would be the U.S. Airways aircraft that landed on the Hudson, but that’s not typical, Jorgenson says. But when planes are at cruising altitude, experts say birds are no longer a threat. So once the seatbelt signs goes off, you can relax and enjoy the flight.