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In reply to the discussion: What would happen to a 777 if the pilot flew it up and up and up? [View all]Agschmid
(28,749 posts)20. It's wiki but it seems scientifically accurate...
The absolute ceiling, also known as coffin corner, is the highest altitude at which an aircraft can sustain level flight, which means the altitude at which the thrust of the engines at full power is equal to the total drag at minimum drag speed. In other words, it is the altitude where maximum thrust available equals minimum thrust required, so the altitude where the maximum sustained (with no decreasing airspeed) rate of climb is zero. Most commercial jetliners have a service (or certificated) ceiling of about 42,000 feet (12,802 m)[citation needed] and some business jets about 51,000 feet (15,545 m).[2] While these aircraft's absolute ceiling is much higher than standard operational purposes, it is impossible to reach (because of the vertical speed asymptotically approaching zero) without afterburners or other devices temporarily increasing thrust. Flight at the absolute ceiling is also not economically advantageous due to the low indicated airspeed which can be sustained: although the true airspeed (TAS) at an altitude is typically greater than indicated airspeed (IAS), the difference is not enough to compensate for the fact that IAS at which minimum drag is achieved is usually very low, so a flight at an absolute ceiling altitude results in a low TAS as well, and hence in a high fuel burn rate per distance traveled. The absolute ceiling varies with the air temperature and, overall, the aircraft weight (usually calculated at MTOW).[1]
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And wings would not provide enough lift to go higher based on the size of the plane. nt
Logical
Mar 2014
#12
My uneducated opinion tells me it depends on what angle they would have hit the water...
Agschmid
Mar 2014
#18
The plane would disintegrate on impact. Similar to the aircraft in the 9/11 attacks.
Gravitycollapse
Mar 2014
#30
The debris could be under water, the thing could have sunk. Or under vegetation in the
uppityperson
Mar 2014
#46
The density of the air would decrease until the wings lose too much lift or the engine stalls.
Gravitycollapse
Mar 2014
#3
It would be substantially higher than the service ceiling. By how much I'm not sure.
Gravitycollapse
Mar 2014
#17
Heard expert say that the air is so thin there that the plane cannot get lift
applegrove
Mar 2014
#36
No if the debris is from high up there would be a wide debris field I think.
applegrove
Mar 2014
#40