Block Altitude

haha Geico :nono:

What is what looks like a door opening on the side?
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I hadn't even noticed that, I assume you are talking about the left side by the wing root. It's just a shadow. Looks funky because of the time lapse I guess.
 
I got a plane once with a mel'd autopilot. Flew it for a couple days like that. Well, I got the idea that itd be nice to not have to worry the entire flight about holding altitude to ATP standards. So, I requested block altitudes a thousand above and below and just about every controller gave it to me.

It really took the sting of no ap off. I have recommended it to anyone with a busted ap and many have used it.
 
Holy displaced threshold batman.
 
Cool! I haven't used a block to try cloud surfing, though it looks like fun. Usually I'm trying to work my way up to FL490 or FL510.
 
Nice :) looks like it was fun. There's been some good looking clouds around here lately. I've been lamenting not having the time to go flying and do something like this. This might be the motivation I need to make some time.

kgruber said:
What is what looks like a door opening on the side?
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It's the shadow from banking a little. Look at the antenna in the center of the plane, its shadow is doing the same thing.
 
Nice video. Flight through cloud tops is one of the few things of IFR that I find really fun.
 
Although it doesn't require a block altitude I have occasionally had fun flying "cloud canyons" when the clouds were somewhat scattered at my assigned altitude. Adding a third dimension with a block sounds like even more fun.

I do often request a block when I want to fly above a cloud layer without going any higher than necessary, either to avoid bigger headwinds or to stay out of ice. I don't think I've ever been denied for long.
 
gismo said:
I do often request a block when I want to fly above a cloud layer without going any higher than necessary, either to avoid bigger headwinds or to stay out of ice. I don't think I've ever been denied for long.
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That's my primary reason for requesting block altitudes as well, and it works quite nicely with little argument. Ironically, the only time that I've had a controller argue about it was when I was somewhere over Nova Scotia or New Brunswick with about 0 other airplanes anywhere near me. No idea why they cared, but they did.

Of course I also don't bother asking around New York City or otherwise because I'm pretty sure the answer would be a resounding "no."
 
Ted DuPuis said:
That's my primary reason for requesting block altitudes as well, and it works quite nicely with little argument. Ironically, the only time that I've had a controller argue about it was when I was somewhere over Nova Scotia or New Brunswick with about 0 other airplanes anywhere near me. No idea why they cared, but they did.

Of course I also don't bother asking around New York City or otherwise because I'm pretty sure the answer would be a resounding "no."
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Yep if not at 6,000 ft, go directly to Lake Henry. ;)
 
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