What happens if a plane flies above its service ceiling?

Exceeding service ceiling has no legal ramification. As Ron said, it's merely a performance parameter, like maximum rate of climb or maximum cruising speed. By definition, at service ceiling (density altitude) your airplane should be able to keep climbing at 100 fpm at gross weight.



People Also Ask

At absolute ceiling, the aircraft can no longer accelerate, since any acceleration will lead to higher airspeed and therefore excess lift. Stated technically, it is the altitude where the maximum sustained (with no decreasing airspeed) rate of climb is zero.

MORE DETAILS

A service ceiling is not really an absolute limit on the altitude that a particular design can achieve, but one at which the aircraft begins to run out of climb capability.

MORE DETAILS

All aircraft have a specified 'service ceiling' that defines the maximum height at which it should be operated. For most modern commercial jets today, this is around 41,000 feet.

MORE DETAILS

For best protection, you are encouraged to use supplemental oxygen above 10,000 feet MSL. At night, because vision is particularly sensitive to diminished oxygen, a prudent rule is to use supplemental oxygen when flying above 6,000 feet MSL. So, when you fly at high altitudes, supplemental oxygen is the only solution.

MORE DETAILS

Proper distribution of weight plays a large and important role in an aircraft's overall performance. Load your airplane improperly, and it will affect its fuel consumption, speed, rate of climb, controllability, ceiling, and even structural integrity.

MORE DETAILS

Most flights are intended to spend as little time as possible over water, since storms are more common over the ocean than on land. An aircraft would not be safe to fly over the Pacific Ocean due to the stormy weather and frequent lightning strikes that occur there.

MORE DETAILS

During a belly landing, there is normally extensive damage to the airplane. Belly landings carry the risk that the aircraft may flip over, disintegrate, or catch fire if it lands too fast or too hard.

MORE DETAILS

A hard landing has the potential to result in Loss of Control and/or aircraft damage, and will necessitate a manufacturer defined hard landing inspection.

MORE DETAILS

From FAA pilot handbook: The service ceiling is the altitude at which the aircraft is unable to climb at a rate greater than 100 feet per minute (fpm). The cruise ceiling, on the other hand, is the altitude at which the maximum climb rate is 300 fpm, though I've not seen it used much.

MORE DETAILS

When it comes to the original crop of the Airbus A320 family, these twinjets have a service ceiling of between 39,100 ft and 41,000 ft. This is between 11,917 m and 12,497 m.

MORE DETAILS

When all is said and done, the Airbus A380 needs 3,000 m (9,800 ft) of runway to take off fully-loaded, while the Boeing 747-8 requires 3,100 m (10,200 ft).

MORE DETAILS