Why is FL180 the fixed TL in the US?

[glasspilot1]

Why do other countries us Meters?

I think Russia is the only country using meters for altitude. Anybody here know different?

 

[legalalien]

China and a few of the old USSR countries still use Meters. Its a pain in the *ss especially when you fly an old steam gauge aircraft and they give you approach altitudes in QFE meters!

 

[SFR]

Why is the transition level fixed at 18,000 feet in the US?
This is not the case in most other countries. Europe is considering having a fixed level. Some have suggested 10.000' while others say – lets do the same as the US.
Is there anyone who knows why we decided to select exactly 18.000 feet in the US (and not another fixed number)?

Because we in America invented aviation and we can make the rules!!!

 

[crj567]

Maybe the question should be "why isn't everyone elses TL 180?"

Gup

Because they are weak and stupid.....Soon the wild dingos will eat them all.....

 

[dalad]

Maybe the question should be "why isn't everyone elses TL 180?"

Gup

You're an idiot. period. I can't believe you were stupid enough to hit the post button. get out of your LUV world and see the world dumb a**.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Because we in America invented aviation and we can make the rules!!!

Exhibit A: "The ugly (and , oh BTW ignorant) American."

 

[J Dawg]

Ecuador is a bit unusual in that transition altitude/level is at 20,000'/FL200 (IIRC) at Quito (UIO), but 3,000'/FL030 at Guayaquil (GYE)

 

[2000Easyguy]

Terrain clearance at the low atmospheric pressure is the correct answer for countries to determine transition levels within their air spaces. In Japan for example, it is 14,000/ FL140 due to clearance with Mt. Fuji. In the eastern Caribbean in Guadeloupe's air space it is 8,000/FL080 if I remember correctly




Perhaps the world doesn't really revolve around SWA after all



Perhaps because other countries came to the conclusion that a measuring system based on the dimension of the limbs of a dead monarch was a silly Idea, I tend to agree.

QFE is still used in some areas, Dalian China is an example

Agree with you 100%. I remember being in grade school, (Nixon years) they were pushing the metric system. They said we'd be there in a few years.:erm:

 

[Helos2Galaxy]

I am on my way to Spain in a few hours. The TL is 5000'. There are mountains well above that in Spain (look at the terrain north of Malaga)

 

[3ds]

Funny you say that. That is exactly what happened to me. I should have stopped believing in that god stuff back about when I stopped believing in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. Now I sleep in on Sunday mornings!

oops, thread drift......carry on

how about an 11:00 service?

 

[SFR]

Exhibit A: "The ugly (and , oh BTW ignorant) American."

Yeah, but we win the wars. You must be European. BTW, your food sucks...

 

[SFR]

Any most of you have bad teeth....

 

[SpauldingSmails]

Yeah, its unusual in the US system in having a fixed trans. level and trans. altitude as well in that we have "lowest usable flight levels" when pressure is below 2992.

Other places around the world there's sufficient a sufficient stagger between trans. level and altitude to mitigate the issue.

 

[FlyChicaga]

What about Mexico, where transition altitude is 18,500 feet, while transition level is FL195? Why the discrepancy?

 

[glasspilot1]

>> Other places around the world there's sufficient a sufficient stagger between trans. level and altitude to mitigate the issue. <<

Most of the rest of the world does not have the traffic volume we do. They can get away with a few wasted altitudes where we need every flight level we can get.