How high can airplanes go in the sky?

Airplanes, especially commercial jets, fly really high in the sky. So high, in fact, that the only things visible to passengers are often fluffy cotton-like clouds. However, have you ever wondered how high commercial airplanes can fly? What if they continued to ascend into the sky? Could they ‘leave’ Earth and reach the blackness of ‘space’?

What’s the maximum altitude a plane can fly at?

Although, of course, air traffic control in each airspace has ultimate authority over an aircraft’s precise altitude. Most commercial aircraft are approved to fly at a maximum of around 42,000 feet. This maximum is also known as a ‘service ceiling.’ For example, for the double-decker Airbus A380 ‘superjumbo’ quadjet, this ceiling is 43,000 feet.

How high can a commercial jet aircraft go?

For example the new generation Boeing 737 is certified to 41,000ft (7.8 miles). Many military jet aircraft are able to fly considerably higher. Often, the plane itself is not pressurised and instead the pilot wears a pressure suit that provides him with a pressurised environment.

What’s the highest speed an airplane can go?

The speed record is also held by an SR-71, at 2,193 mph. This is not as high or as fast as the airplane can fly, however, it’s absolute speed and altitude limits are classified. Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified.

What plane can fly the highest?

But some jets fly higher than others. An aircraft’s maximum altitude is called its service ceiling, and the Global 6000, the Falcon 5X and the Gulfstream G650 all currently fly the highest with a service ceiling of 51,000 feet.

What is the highest altitude of a plane?

The highest altitude obtained by an electrically powered aircraft is 96,863 feet (29,524 m) on August 14, 2001 by the NASA Helios, and is the highest altitude in horizontal flight by a winged aircraft.

How high do planes fly at in kilometers?

Large passenger planes can’t fly much higher than about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles). The air is too thin above that altitude to hold the plane up. Some kinds of planes can fly much higher, and one special NASA plane, named Helios, flew to about 30 kilometers (19 miles), which is far higher than any other plane has traveled.

How high do military airplanes fly?

This is not as high or as fast as the airplane can fly, however, it’s absolute speed and altitude limits are classified. Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified. Most commercial jetliners cruise somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 feet above mean sea level.