Airspace question

[tmcmahon]

I’m trying to write a brief but factual description of airspace classifications in Canada for the general public.

When I write about Class G, I am including the fact that airspace above 60,000 feet is also considered Class G. I want to write “but commercial planes never fly this high.” Is that fair? I’m thinking of the average Joe flying to Florida on Air Canada.

But are there civil aircraft that go this high? Should I say “commercial planes rarely fly this high.”

I don’t want to give the impression that they *sometimes* go at or above FL600, when they probably never go even close to that. Buy I don't want to say never, if that isn't true.

Someone can PM me if you don't want this message cluttering up the board!

Thanks,
Tamsin

[Big Pratt]

You're safe in replying that there are no passenger commercial flights above FL600.

I believe the Citation X (pronounced ten not "ex") is certified to 51000 feet and that's about as high as anything commercial gets even though the X is a business jet and not an airliner. Airliners won't go this high.
The Concorde was somewhere in the high 50's maybe even 60 but as it is retired it's not an issue.

[tmcmahon]

Thanks, I appreciate the reply!

[fougapilot]

The only Civilian airplane that I know was capable to fly above FL600 was the Concorde. Now a days, the high-flyers are corporate jets like the G5, Global Express Later model LearJets and the already mentionned Citation X.

cheers,

D

[pelmet]

Perhaps bending the civilian thing a bit, but I believe NASA and other civilian US government agencies have ex-military aircraft that can fly above 60,000 feet.

[tmcmahon]

Thanks.
I'm specifically looking for civil, commercial aircraft - basically just passenger and cargo planes, and business jets. Military/government is an entirely different issue that I'm not going to tackle.

[zzjayca]

Above FL600 is class E. It was reclassified a few years ago.