Robert M. Gary wrote:
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,

That was probably the controllers MVA. We use 6500 and 9300 here all
the time because it is our MVA.


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.

We use 13,000 westbound all the time here because it is the lowest
useable altitude over the mountains on one of our most popular airways.


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.

Until January when all aircraft will be required to meet the RVSM
standard FL 340 is not a useable altitude.