Default Altitude

[GaryP1007]

Curious as to what folks use as a default altitude on most trips. I know weather etc. plays into decisions, but for the purpose of this post assume everything is pretty neutral. Just curious as to how high most folks like to fly.

[Oscar Avalle]

I try to fly 7K and 8k, or 7.5 and 8.5 depending if IFR or VFR

[carusoam]

Longer trips...11 or 12 k'. Longest gliding distance available without need for oxygen...

Within state... 5 to 6 k'. Above most turbulence.

Adjust for IFR v VFR. and East v West...

-a-

[danb35]

If weather and terrain aren't issues, generally at 6k-8k. It's my understanding that this is the most efficient altitude for a NA C-J. Turbos can of course fly much higher without losing power, and the big-bore NA engines have more power anyway, so may want to cruise a bit higher.

[Bennett]

VFR: 7500 / 8500 WOT. 10.5 GPH, ram air open, 2500 RPM 160-165 KTS TAS, many major speed mods including LoPresti cowl, PowerFlow exhaust, two bladed TopProp, one piece belly pan, fairings, etc, highly polished paint. Higher when crossing mountains, but seldom need oxygen. Probably could add a knot or two by removing the step, and moving the towel rack VOR antennas into the wingtips (as I did on my prior Mooney), but I would rather spend the money on continuing to upgrade the avionics.

[DaV8or]

On a typical cross country, 6-8,000. Higher for terrain sometimes. Higher sometimes if there is a good tail wind reported. However, I do a fair amount of just boring holes in the sky locally over the delta, up and down the valley and out to the bay and those flights are often 2-3,000.

[Hank]

Food runs one county away: 3000 msl [~2000 agl], 30 nm

Practice approaches: 3000-4500, depending on terrain

Up to 150-200 nm, non-mountainous: 5000+

Over/across the Appalachians: 7500 minimum, often 9000/10,000 msl

WV to Yellowstone, 8500 westbound, 9500 coming back.

[jlunseth]

FL210 going east, FL200 west if the wind will allow it, otherwise whatever altitude results in best GS going west.

[Lood]

075/085 and 095/105 when it's really hot.

[co2bruce]

10 - 12 thousand. Altitude is your friend.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

As a Denver-based Mooney driver I'm fairly constrained... 16,500' minimum westbound, 11,500' minimum eastbound. I usually shoot for the flight levels, though, if the winds are favorable.

[1964-M20E]

I fly 10 to 12k msl for longer trips >2hrs 7 to 10k for shorter trips unless I'm just playing around then sometimes I'll fly 500 over open areas with little or no population. I fly in the SE US so I'm a flatlander.

[kerry]

9,500 and 10,500

[BigTex]

FL210 going east, FL200 west if the wind will allow it, otherwise whatever altitude results in best GS going west.

Show Off!

[jwilkins]

10 to 12 for shorter trips;

15 to 17 for longer trips, provided my son who hates using Ox is not with me, if he is we generally stay below Ox required levels unless Wx or turbulence dictates higher.

Since our home airport is 5K MSL, 10K msl is really not very high.

[Bennett]

When I had my prior Mooney - a Trophy 261 conversion (231/252 conversion by both the Mod Works and the Mod Squad), I generally flew in the flight levels eastbound as I crossed the U.S. many times on the way from California to Florida, and then onto the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the winter months I generally flew at FL270 (the conversion allowed altitudes up to FL280) in order to pick up the the high winds that made up the lower parts of the winter jet stream. Had some very fast great rides up there, and since I had 115 gallons in the wings, I stayed up as long as possible. It is, in my experience, very uncomfortable in a Mooney at FL 270. The windows would frost over inside, and the heater would burn my feet if left on. I wore a fur lined leather jacket, and I hated the oxygen mask. The controls were mushy. I used Prist in the fuel tanks to prevent any water present from freezing, and I really didn't enjoy those trips, but I could cross the country in a day, and at that time that was important to me. (Best run: 9 Hrs 15 Minutes between San Carlos, CA and St. Petersburg, Florida with ATC confirmed ground speeds up to 315 KTS - obviously with a HUGE jet stream boost - a real "tiger by the tail" type of ride). In Spring and Fall, I usually flew at FL210 and FL230, where I was below the critical altitude (100% power available) of 24,000' On the way back I usually had to descend to 14,000' to 16,000' to avoid the strong westerly winds. Summer was difficult in that most of the time I was dodging the thunderstorms, and there was no way to out climb the buildups.

As I mentioned in my earlier post I fly my M20J at much lower altitudes as I am no longer making those transcontinental runs. I can fly between San Carlos, and Texas and never climb above 12,000', and actually I generally stay somewhat lower. My J is just as fast as the 261 was up to about 9,000' where a naturally aspirated engine loses substantial power. Both aircraft suit the purpose for which I purchased them, but I really like the J better.

[jnisley]

7000-12000 on all but local flights, with my preferred altitude being 9000/10000.

[M016576]

When I had my prior Mooney - a Trophy 261 conversion (231/252 conversion by both the Mod Works and the Mod Squad), I generally flew in the flight levels eastbound as I crossed the U.S. many times on the way from California to Florida, and then onto the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the winter months I generally flew at FL270 (the conversion allowed altitudes up to FL280) in order to pick up the the high winds that made up the lower parts of the winter jet stream. Had some very fast great rides up there, and since I had 115 gallons in the wings, I stayed up as long as possible. It is, in my experience, very uncomfortable in a Mooney at FL 270. The windows would frost over inside, and the heater would burn my feet if left on. I wore a fur lined leather jacket, and I hated the oxygen mask. The controls were mushy. I used Prist in the fuel tanks to prevent any water present from freezing, and I really didn't enjoy those trips, but I could cross the country in a day, and at that time that was important to me. (Best run: 9 Hrs 15 Minutes between San Carlos, CA and St. Petersburg, Florida with ATC confirmed ground speeds up to 315 KTS - obviously with a HUGE jet stream boost - a real "tiger by the tail" type of ride). In Spring and Fall, I usually flew at FL210 and FL230, where I was below the critical altitude (100% power available) of 24,000' On the way back I usually had to descend to 14,000' to 16,000' to avoid the strong westerly winds. Summer was difficult in that most of the time I was dodging the thunderstorms, and there was no way to out climb the buildups.

As I mentioned in my earlier post I fly my M20J at much lower altitudes as I am no longer making those transcontinental runs. I can fly between San Carlos, and Texas and never climb above 12,000', and actually I generally stay somewhat lower. My J is just as fast as the 261 was up to about 9,000' where a naturally aspirated engine loses substantial power. Both aircraft suit the purpose for which I purchased them, but I really like the J better.

I fly between 7500-10500 for the majority of my trips. every once in a while I'll go up to 12.5-14.5 in the J if need be.

I got a ride back from LASAR in a 2007 Acclaim after I dropped my J off for annual. I was expecting to be blown away by the speed and power.... I ended up being pretty underwhelmed. We cruised back at 7500', and I found that the climb rates and top end speed just weren't that much more than the J down low. (granted we were at/near gross in the acclaim...). Now if I wanted to (or needed to) go up into the mask-on-o-sphere, that would be a whole different story....

[Bennett]

Just a comment for Mo16576: The M20J has 200 HP, the 231,252, and 261/262 conversions are rated at 210 HP, so down low there is little difference in speed, especially since the 261/262 had an option of a McCalley "high altitude" prop that was optimized for the flight levels (and slow below about 18,000' from my experience). Both my Mooneys had (have) all the usual speed mods, and then some, so their speeds around 7-8,000' were about the same. Of course on a long flight, especially eastbound, the 252 is the travelling machine - even at 11,000 -12,000' I never minded using cannulas - up to about 18,000' but that is not where the real speed is found. Of course this gets one above quite a bit of the weather, so once again everything in aviation is a trade off. But you can't go wrong with a Mooney.

[Hector]

Fairly new Mooney owner (M20C), but I find myself cruising between 7.5 and 9.5 mostly. Nice compromise between speed and fuel economy.

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[Jerry 5TJ]

Usually climb to 9, 10 or 11K here in CA: Those altitudes are a good compromise between time to climb versus hitting the hills.

[Riq]

I fly as high as I can, ie 6-8000<1hr and fl12-fl23<3hrs in my stuperC.

[xftrplt]

Default altitude? Too many variables: distance, weather, winds, ride, etc.

However, Foreflight's new Nav Log (in the Edit mode) provides an Altitude Advisor, which displays time and burn for different altitudes.