FL 180 vs 18,000

Fly_Unity

Fly_Unity

Well-Known Member
When altimeter settings are lower than standard, ATC will not give me FL 180. They state that they can either give me 16,000 or FL 200. Sometimes they give me a block.

My questions is; Why in the world cant ATC give me 18,000. I can understand not giving me FL 180 with the altimeter set to 29.92 because they cant separate VFR traffic. But if the Flight levels are not available, just give me the 18,000. Seems silly to waste 18000 and make 16,000 and FL 200 more congested.
 
When altimeter is lower than standard FL180 puts you at 17,xxx which doesn't give you the standard 1000 ft separation. That's what makes FL180 'unusable'.


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We have a Navajo run over the Rockies filed at 180. When that's not available I ask for 17,000 and the usually give it to me.

That said for the first part of the filed route 16,000 isn't available due to terrain separation.
 
It's an ubscure reg... I forget which but I've read it. Depending on how low it is they will either have 180 unavailable or really low both 180 and 190 are unavailable. As they said its a seperation issue. In our neck of the woods we just ask for a block and that usually solves the issue if we really need to be there. I just had a 170-200 block coming back from SDY yesterday.
 
Fly_Unity said:
When altimeter settings are lower than standard, ATC will not give me FL 180. They state that they can either give me 16,000 or FL 200. Sometimes they give me a block.

My questions is; Why in the world cant ATC give me 18,000. I can understand not giving me FL 180 with the altimeter set to 29.92 because they cant separate VFR traffic. But if the Flight levels are not available, just give me the 18,000. Seems silly to waste 18000 and make 16,000 and FL 200 more congested.
Click to expand...

There's a problem with this:

"King Air 12345 Descend and Maintain FL190 break Cessna 56789 Climb and Maintain 18,000, Podunkville Altimeter Altimeter 30.92."
 
ppragman said:
There's a problem with this:

"King Air 12345 Descend and Maintain FL190 break Cessna 56789 Climb and Maintain 18,000, Podunkville Altimeter Altimeter 30.92."
Click to expand...

I can understand that. But to solve that, ATC should just give Cessna 56789 FL 180, not 18,000.

If the Altimeter setting is higher than 29.92. ATC assigns FL180.
If the Altimeter setting is lower than 29.92, ATC assigns 18,000

What am I missing?
 
Fly_Unity said:
I can understand that. But to solve that, ATC should just give Cessna 56789 FL 180, not 18,000.

If the Altimeter setting is higher than 29.92. ATC assigns FL180.
If the Altimeter setting is lower than 29.92, ATC assigns 18,000

What am I missing?
Click to expand...

The VFR traffic that just turned their transponder on... 12 o'clock, 10 miles - opposite direction, 17,500.
 
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