Turbo Prop Altitudes

[InsyleM]

Okay,
I just saw some one post that they flew the King Air 350 @ FL360.

I had no idea that prop plane could go that high, Yes I know it's a turbo prob and not a piston.

So just what kind of cruising altitudes are turbo prop planes capable off? What do they normally
cruise at say for a C-130?
or a King Air?

[jpc55]

I Googled King Air 350 Spec. And on the first one it said it has a "Max Operating Altitude 35,000 ft. :pilot:

[tres2]

Yeah, it's a pressurized cabin class airplane. I routinely fly mine at 30 or 31,000 (actually, that is, 30,500 and 31,500 because I rarely file IFR and I hate talking to ATC). But it will give you three hundred knots ground speed up there in still air.

The Pilatus PC 12 can get up there as well but it's not nearly as fast. It will hold more people and it will give you much better gas mileage. As well as far better short field performance; it lands like a butterfly.

I'm sure there are a lot of others that I'm just not thinking about.

[tres2]

At the far lower and of turboprops, we have the Cessna caravan which is basically a flying truck. I can't remember how high it flies but I'm sure its way lower than we're talking about, and it's much, much slower. I don't think it's pressurized but, frankly, I can't remember and I'm too lazy to look it up.

But it will carry the weight, which is what it was designed for.

[garryrussell]

It's often a facton of pressure limitations on the cabin as far a service ceiling goes.

The Tupolev 114 had a ceiling of 39,000.

I saw a King Air 200 a few days ago at 31,000...looked tiny

[InsyleM]

Thanks for the insight. I didn't know Turbo Props could get that high. I baught a paywere C-130 that I normally fly at 15, 000.... :) Ill have to take it higher then.

[InsyleM]

Yeah, it's a pressurized cabin class airplane. I routinely fly mine at 30 or 31,000 (actually, that is, 30,500 and 31,500 because I rarely file IFR and I hate talking to ATC). But it will give you three hundred knots ground speed up there in still air.

Isn't everything above FL180 suposed tobe IFR anyways?

[demanton2]

Isn't everything above FL180 suposed tobe IFR anyways?

It might look like IFR, feel like IFR, but an IFR flight plan is not required:

§ 71.33 Class A airspace areas.

(a) That airspace of the United States, including that airspace overlying the waters within 12 nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous States, from 18,000 feet MSL to and including FL600 excluding the states of Alaska and Hawaii, Santa Barbara Island, Farallon Island, and the airspace south of latitude 25°04'00" North.

§ 91.135 Operations in Class A airspace.

Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each person operating an aircraft in Class A airspace must conduct that operation under instrument flight rules (IFR) and in compliance with the following:

(a) Clearance. Operations may be conducted only under an ATC clearance received prior to entering the airspace.

(b) Communications. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, each aircraft operating in Class A airspace must be equipped with a two-way radio capable of communicating with ATC on a frequency assigned by ATC. Each pilot must maintain two-way radio communications with ATC while operating in Class A airspace.

(c) Equipment requirements. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft within Class A airspace unless that aircraft is equipped with the applicable equipment specified in §91.215, and after January 1, 2020, §91.225.

(d) ATC authorizations. An operator may deviate from any provision of this section under the provisions of an ATC authorization issued by the ATC facility having jurisdiction of the airspace concerned. In the case of an inoperative transponder, ATC may immediately approve an operation within a Class A airspace area allowing flight to continue, if desired, to the airport of ultimate destination, including any intermediate stops, or to proceed to a place where suitable repairs can be made, or both. Requests for deviation from any provision of this section must be submitted in writing, at least 4 days before the proposed operation. ATC may authorize a deviation on a continuing basis or for an individual flight.

[tres2]

It might look like IFR, feel like IFR, but an IFR flight plan is not required:

§ 71.33 Class A airspace areas.

(a) That airspace of the United States, including that airspace overlying the waters within 12 nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous States, from 18,000 feet MSL to and including FL600 excluding the states of Alaska and Hawaii, Santa Barbara Island, Farallon Island, and the airspace south of latitude 25°04'00" North.

§ 91.135 Operations in Class A airspace.

Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each person operating an aircraft in Class A airspace must conduct that operation under instrument flight rules (IFR) and in compliance with the following:

(a) Clearance. Operations may be conducted only under an ATC clearance received prior to entering the airspace.

(b) Communications. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, each aircraft operating in Class A airspace must be equipped with a two-way radio capable of communicating with ATC on a frequency assigned by ATC. Each pilot must maintain two-way radio communications with ATC while operating in Class A airspace.

(c) Equipment requirements. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft within Class A airspace unless that aircraft is equipped with the applicable equipment specified in §91.215, and after January 1, 2020, §91.225.

(d) ATC authorizations. An operator may deviate from any provision of this section under the provisions of an ATC authorization issued by the ATC facility having jurisdiction of the airspace concerned. In the case of an inoperative transponder, ATC may immediately approve an operation within a Class A airspace area allowing flight to continue, if desired, to the airport of ultimate destination, including any intermediate stops, or to proceed to a place where suitable repairs can be made, or both. Requests for deviation from any provision of this section must be submitted in writing, at least 4 days before the proposed operation. ATC may authorize a deviation on a continuing basis or for an individual flight.

What he said.

[T18]

execpt, ATC will not autorize flight into the Airspace w/o an IFR flight plan per Federal ATC training guidlines.

[ReggieF5421]

I baught a paywere C-130 that I normally fly at 15, 000.... :) Ill have to take it higher then.

My experience is military turboprops tend to fly between 25 and 30 K. While some might be certified for higher, but in general they stay a bit below the jets. A fully loaded C-130H is only going to be able to climb to about 23K, but more lightly loaded birds can go higher.

The Piaggio Avanti P-180 is certified for 41,000 ft and routinely flies above 36K.

I see nine B350 King Airs in the air right now of FlightAware - and 29K is the highest cruise altitude of any of them - though none is on a flight longer than 670 nm. However one other in Australia is flying at 33K on a 700nm flight.

[demanton2]

AIM/PCG: (http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ATPubs/AIM/aim.pdf)

c. Controlled airspace in the United States is
designated as follows:
1. CLASS A− Generally, that airspace from
18,000 feet MSL up to and including FL 600,
including the airspace overlying the waters within 12
nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous States
and Alaska. Unless otherwise authorized, all persons
must operate their aircraft under IFR.

But, VFR above 180 can be requested::

§ 91.135 Operations in Class A airspace.


(d) ATC authorizations. An operator may deviate from any provision of this section under the provisions of an ATC authorization issued by the ATC facility having jurisdiction of the airspace concerned. In the case of an inoperative transponder, ATC may immediately approve an operation within a Class A airspace area allowing flight to continue, if desired, to the airport of ultimate destination, including any intermediate stops, or to proceed to a place where suitable repairs can be made, or both. Requests for deviation from any provision of this section must be submitted in writing, at least 4 days before the proposed operation. ATC may authorize a deviation on a continuing basis or for an individual flight.

[mexy]

Lots of replies already but from my experience, the C130 can operate anywhere up to FL420 - but very rarely above FL320. Most of the time, the cruise altitude will be between FL180 and FL260. Going any higher, in an E or H model, will not give you that much increase in performance, unless the winds are much better. The main reason that turboprops will hang in the lower flight levels is due the higher TAS at those levels, combined with other factors like route segment length versus fuel flow for the alt, prop efficiency etc. the specific air range curve, if I could call it that, as you get higher, is fairly flat for most turboprops that i know of, where as for a jet, the higher you go the better. Of course the difference being propellor efficiency - dont forget a C130H prop is like a square, and it looses efficiency the closer to mach 1 it goes.

its a big topic really but hope this gives some insight as well as the other posts.

G'day

Mexy