(ilsub) wrote in
om:

Andrew Sarangan wrote in message
58...
(Victor) wrote in
news:c82ad113.0404081949.3254aa79 @posting.google.com:

How high do you normally fly a Cessna 172. Have only been flying
on sea level airport and now will be flying on airports at aprox
7500' . To get from one place to the other I might have to climb to
12500'. Do you think that a 172 is able to do that?


Depends on the density altitude. I've flown them as high as 13500',
and I figure the density altitude was about 16000'.

Were you using oxygen?
Just curious. I never have even seen one.

You can fly for 30 mins without oxygen between 12.5k and 14k. Above 14k
you need oxygen. We climb to 13.5k only for brief periods in order to
cross the mountains. While the aircraft performance is based on density
altitude, human performance is based on pressure altitude. If you are not
accustomed to high altitudes (ie you lived most of your life at sea
level) you may want to exercise some judgement before flying at higher
altitudes.