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.

[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.