How high have you flown non pressurized plane

I took my CFII TO 15,000 msl once, just because. Got good practice on various emergency descent profiles coming back down. Later I calculated DA to have been 18,800.

Not bad for 180 carbureted horsepower . . .

P.S.--when traveling, I routinely cruise 7500-10,000 msl, higher when needed.
 
11,500MSL in a Cessna 172M from Hanford to KMMH. Back Seat in a Navy UH-1N to 13,500MSL multiple times for work.
 
12,500' MSL in my Grumman Tiger. Just the threshold for required oxygen. :p
 
18k in a C208B.

Frankly I'm not a fan of shoving crap up my nose, I'll stay lower or fly something pressurized.
 
19000 in my mooney 231

Want to try higher for short period just haven't needed to and don't like masks much
 
14'500...in my 182.

...sucking O2 for the trip.

I will routinely climb to 11-12K when I just wanna get there on longer XC trips when the winds aloft will allow.
 
P1000540.JPG


Beech K35
 
13.5K in the Six.

18K....till things got icy. :yikes:

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Took the 310 to FL190 once. Neither the plane nor I were very happy.
 
C208B to 17,500. It was funny when I called a 9 mile final at 16,500.
 
11,500 in our C180.

I was hitting 190m.p.h. GS taking advantage of winds.
 
Just over 11,500 in an Archer II.
 
10,500

I get real uncomfortable above 5-6k
I just feel more comfortable at lower altitudes.
 
15.5K cherokee 180 indicated. Didn't bother calculating the DA. Routinely cruise 10.5 to 13.5. Yes, got O2.

Denver to OSH at 13.5 in a cessna 185.
 
FL190 in a T182T until I realized my O2 system was leaking, as we departed with a full tank, and we were at the bottom of the yellow after only about 15 mins...
 
Took the 310 to FL190 once. Neither the plane nor I were very happy.

Same for me with the 310 I fly.

In both cases, 310s were naturally aspirated.
 
12,000 in a Seminole
 
~FL300.

Didn't start out that way. Didn't stay long.

Nauga,
who said, "oof"
 
11500MSL in a C172 at 160kts GS. If I had been westbound then I'd have climbed to 12500MSL hopefully picking up a few extra kts.

Now to flip the question, how low have you flown a plane (non-pressurized or otherwise)? Since this is biased towards those near L06, let's use DA instead of MSL. ;)
 
15000, with an 18000 density altitude in my Mooney. Also 180hp C model.
 
11500MSL in a C172 at 160kts GS. If I had been westbound then I'd have climbed to 12500MSL hopefully picking up a few extra kts.

Now to flip the question, how low have you flown a plane (non-pressurized or otherwise)? Since this is biased towards those near L06, let's use DA instead of MSL. ;)

-210 PA MSL, L06
-4700 DA, Maine in the winter
 
I've taken my Tango up to 17.5. Flying the Casa, I had occasion to fly at FL220 a few times. Some of those were VFR!! (Not in the US though.) Also jumped out of a King Air at 22.5 a bunch of years ago.
 
I flew corporate for around 3 years in a T-210. Being out here in the west I flew in FL 20 - 26 quite often to circumnavigate CB's in the vicinity.

I was always searching for O2 refills when I landed.

I love some of the tailwinds you get up there when flying eastbound.
 
11500MSL in a C172 at 160kts GS. If I had been westbound then I'd have climbed to 12500MSL hopefully picking up a few extra kts.

Now to flip the question, how low have you flown a plane (non-pressurized or otherwise)? Since this is biased towards those near L06, let's use DA instead of MSL. ;)


-53 - KIPL
-115 - KTRM


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Roughly 10,500 going along the Harding Icefield in Alaska.

As far as low goes..... nearly -5000 DA, also in Alaska.
 

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I hit 17,500 once. I was climbing and noted I was doing 180 knots in the climb. I leveled out and was doing 240 knots. Fastest groundspeed I think I've recorded.
 
Have flown many small singles at 10000. Flew my beech Travelair at 12500 ,now that I'm getting older don't like to fly over 9500 for long flights,
 
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