The definition of the service ceiling is the height above sea level at which an aircraft with normal-rated load is unable to climb faster than 100 feet per minute under standard air conditions.
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CEILING- The heights above the earth's surface of the lowest layer of clouds or obscuring phenomena that is reported as “broken,” “overcast,” or “obscuration,” and not classified as “thin” or “partial.”
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.
In aviation weather observation, a description or explanation of the manner in which the height of the ceiling is determined. The different types of ceilings according to this classification are aircraft ceiling, balloon ceiling, estimated ceiling, indefinite ceiling, measured ceiling, and precipitation ceiling.
The static ceiling is simply the point above which the aircraft won't be able to produce enough thrust and lift to sustain that altitude. You'll start losing velocity, and as you do so, also start losing altitude. Nothing fails outright. You just don't have enough energy to climb or even stay level.
Most commercial aircraft are approved to fly at a maximum of around 42,000 feet, with this maximum figure also being known as a 'service ceiling. ' For example, for the double-decker Airbus A380' superjumbo' quadjet, the service ceiling is 43,000 feet.
The absolute maximum altitude a plane can reach is only limited by the lift it can produce. This will be a function of the wing (and one of our resident engineers can explain this) and the airflow over the wing. The airflow in turn is a function of your altitude (air density) and airspeed.