Newps wrote in message ...
Robert M. Gary wrote:
The other day I heard on Center "Helicopter 1234 with you Flight Level
340". This can't be possible, can it?


Nope, not possible. FL340 is not a useable altitude until January 2005.

Is that necessarily true? I've been given some odd altitudes at times
in my Mooney, for reasons I don't know. I've been assigned 5500 when
IFR, I've been assigned an odd when flying West, etc. Not very common,
but I've had it happen. I'm not sure why though. Perhaps the pilot
requested to go just a bit higher to top some CU? I"m not sure about
the Flight Levels, but down where I fly the FARs only say you have to
fly at the magic IFR altitudes when uncontrolled. When in controlled
airspace and IFR you fly whatever ATC assigns.

-Robert