IFR Pilots flying on a magnetic course (track) of 180 degrees through 359 degrees should fly on an even thousand foot MSL altitude. Example IFR Cruising altitudes would be 4,000 feet, 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet etc.
The same is true for IFR flight: magnetic course determines IFR cruising altitudes. See 14 CFR 91.179, "IFR cruising altitude or flight level". This is true under FAA regulations. ICAO regulations are similar, but reference magnetic trackrather than magnetic course; for these purposes the two terms have the same meaning.
Except while in a holding pattern of 2 minutes or less or while turning, each person operating an aircraft under IFR in level cruising flight in uncontrolled airspace shall maintain an appropriate altitude as follows: (1) When operating below 18,000 feet MSL and -.
VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) Cruising Altitudes apply for safe flight operations. Here’s a simple analogy. Car drivers know they have their own side of the road to travel on. There is even a yellow line separating the two sides of the road.
(i) On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees, any odd flight level (such as 190, 210, or 230); or (ii) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even flight level (such as 180, 200, or 220).
Example IFR Cruising altitudes would be 5,000 feet, 7,000 feet, 9,000 feet etc. IFR Pilots flying on a magnetic course (track) of 180 degrees through 359 degrees should fly on an even thousand foot MSL altitude. Example IFR Cruising altitudes would be 4,000 feet, 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet etc.
According to FAR 91.159, if you're more than 3,000 AGL, you need to be flying an odd-thousand MSL altitude +500 feet on a magnetic course of 0-179. And if you're flying a magnetic course of 180-359, you should fly an even-thousand altitude +500 feet.
A westbound flight will cruise at even numbered flight levels—say 32,000 feet (FL320) or 34,000 feet (FL340)—again in increments of 2,000 feet. That means that an aircraft passing under another aircraft will be separated vertically. Modern systems allow planes to pass as little as 1,000 feet above or below each other.
§ 91.177 Minimum altitudes for IFR operations. (ii) In any other case, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4 nautical miles from the course to be flown.
(2) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even thousand foot MSL altitude + 500 feet (such as 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500). The same is true for IFR flight: magnetic course determines IFR cruising altitudes.
For IFR flight, the regulations simply state that you need to fly at the altitude assigned by the air traffic controller, but if you're flying IFR in uncontrolled airspace, you need to stay at even thousands for westerly headings and odd thousands when flying in easterly directions.
Third, this rule requires VFR traffic to operate at even or odd altitudes plus 500 feet, while IFR traffic is generally assigned to fly the cardinal altitudes -- 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, and so on.
Magnetic Course: True course corrected for magnetic variation. Magnetic Heading: True heading corrected for magnetic variation. You can determine the magnetic variation from a sectional map. True Course: The aircraft's course over the ground relative to true north.
Low Altitude En Route Charts are used for IFR navigation at altitudes below 18,000 feet. The VOR and L/MF (nondirectional radio beacons) Airway System consists of airways designated from 1,200 feet above the surface (or in some instances higher) up to but not including 18,000 feet MSL.
IFR GPS aircraft can be cleared below the MEA down to the MOCA if there is one. Absent a MOCA, ATC can assign altitudes at or above the MVA or MIA along the route of flight and must issue lost communication instructions.
When must a pilot fly at a cardinal altitude plus 500 feet on an IFR flight plan? When assigned a VFR-on-Top clearance.
IFR Pilots flying on a magnetic course (track) of 180 degrees through 359 degrees should fly on an even thousand foot MSL altitude. Example IFR Cruising altitudes would be 4,000 feet, 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet etc.
3,000 AGL. Designated Cruising Altitudes are required for flights operating at more than 3,000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). When a pilot is operating at more than 3,000 feet above the surface, they are to fly at an altitude appropriate for their direction of flight. Airplanes flown VFR at 3,000 or less AGL are not required to fly ...
Pilots operating at or below 3,000 feet AGL may fly at other altitudes. Also, these cruising altitudes do not apply when the airplane is turning or manoeuvring while practicing flight manoeuvres such as stalls, steep turns, and other activities.
Vertical Separation. In the air, pilots use vertical separation to help avoid collisions with other oncoming traffic. Pilots fly at different altitudes for different directions of flight. This altitude separation works like traffic lanes to keep aircraft flying in different directions from colliding into each other.
At a level which is a least 300m or 1000ft above the highest obstacle located within 8km ...
In areas where feet are used for altitude and where, in accordance with regional air navigation agreements, a vertical separation minimum of 1000 feet is applied between FL290 and FL410 inclusive.
In a non-RVSM metric airspace. If your airspace is a non-RVSM airspace, a vertical separation minimum of 600 m is applied between 8 900 m and 12 500 m inclusive. For the level below 8 900 m and above 12500 m, you must select the flight level according the table in RVSM airspace.
Default worldwide semicircular rule. The default worldwide semi-circular rule is the East/West orientation of the flight level parity: Your aircraft has track between 0° and 179°, your flight level or altitude must be odd. Your aircraft has track between 180° and 359°, your flight level or altitude must be even.
For answering to the need of flight level separation between the same types of flight, flight levels have been separated in two categories, the even and the odd flight level :
No cruise flight level or cruise altitude can be chosen in the transition layer. The transition layer is the airspace between the transition altitude and the transition level. Consult our altimetry documentation for pilot or controller in order to have more information about transition layer, transition altitude and transition level.
The aircraft should track laterally and vertically on the Haris One Arrival and should descend so as to cross Haris at or above 16,000; remainder of the arrival must be flown as published.
Minimum en route and maximum authorized altitudes for certain jet route segments have been established above the floor of the jet route structure due to limitations on navigational signal coverage.
When issuing cruise in conjunction with an airport clearance limit and an unpublished route will be used, issue an appropriate crossing altitude to ensure terrain clearance until the aircraft reaches a fix, point, or route where the altitude information is available to the pilot.
Pilots are not expected to comply with published “expect” restrictions in the event of lost communications, unless ATC has specifically advised the pilot to expect these restrictions as part of a further clearance.
Considering the principle that the last ATC clearance issued has precedence over the previous, the phraseology “maintain (altitude)” alone cancels previously issued altitude restrictions, including SID / STAR altitude restrictions unless they are restated or modified, and authorizes an unrestricted climb or descent. Speed restrictions remain in effect unless the controller explicitly cancels the speed restrictions.
Subsequently, the altitude assignment is changed to FL 260. Therefore, pilot's discretion is no longer authorized.
Military aircraft are operating on random routes and prior approval is obtained from the facility concerned. For meteorological conditions, take this action only if you obtain prior approval from other affected positions or sectors within your facility and, if necessary, from the adjacent facility concerned.