How can flying high minimize drag and provide a fuel efficiency?

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as the plane go high, it means the engines have to work harder to compensate for the air density, therefore it will require more fuel in order provide the same power at lower altitudes. but, I always hear that flying high means less fuel burnet. please explain how.










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  • 2




    Less air molecules means less drag...
    – Ron Beyer
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
    – Greg Hewgill
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
    – Electric Pilot
    2 hours ago










  • Related, maybe even a dupe?
    – Pondlife
    2 hours ago










  • Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
    – Abdull
    2 hours ago














up vote
1
down vote

favorite












as the plane go high, it means the engines have to work harder to compensate for the air density, therefore it will require more fuel in order provide the same power at lower altitudes. but, I always hear that flying high means less fuel burnet. please explain how.










share|improve this question

















  • 2




    Less air molecules means less drag...
    – Ron Beyer
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
    – Greg Hewgill
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
    – Electric Pilot
    2 hours ago










  • Related, maybe even a dupe?
    – Pondlife
    2 hours ago










  • Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
    – Abdull
    2 hours ago












up vote
1
down vote

favorite









up vote
1
down vote

favorite











as the plane go high, it means the engines have to work harder to compensate for the air density, therefore it will require more fuel in order provide the same power at lower altitudes. but, I always hear that flying high means less fuel burnet. please explain how.










share|improve this question













as the plane go high, it means the engines have to work harder to compensate for the air density, therefore it will require more fuel in order provide the same power at lower altitudes. but, I always hear that flying high means less fuel burnet. please explain how.







engine fuel






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share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 2 hours ago









Abdull

607




607







  • 2




    Less air molecules means less drag...
    – Ron Beyer
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
    – Greg Hewgill
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
    – Electric Pilot
    2 hours ago










  • Related, maybe even a dupe?
    – Pondlife
    2 hours ago










  • Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
    – Abdull
    2 hours ago












  • 2




    Less air molecules means less drag...
    – Ron Beyer
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
    – Greg Hewgill
    2 hours ago






  • 1




    Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
    – Electric Pilot
    2 hours ago










  • Related, maybe even a dupe?
    – Pondlife
    2 hours ago










  • Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
    – Abdull
    2 hours ago







2




2




Less air molecules means less drag...
– Ron Beyer
2 hours ago




Less air molecules means less drag...
– Ron Beyer
2 hours ago




1




1




On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
– Greg Hewgill
2 hours ago




On what basis do the engines have to "work harder"?
– Greg Hewgill
2 hours ago




1




1




Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
– Electric Pilot
2 hours ago




Flying at high altitude produces the same amount of drag, because you must fly faster in order to get enough lift power. BUT, it allows you to cover more ground miles with the same power setting in given amount of time, compared to what would you cover flying at low levels. Why? Because the air density is lower at altitude. There's also a significant temperature benefit for the engines. They run more efficient in low temperatures.
– Electric Pilot
2 hours ago












Related, maybe even a dupe?
– Pondlife
2 hours ago




Related, maybe even a dupe?
– Pondlife
2 hours ago












Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
– Abdull
2 hours ago




Greg, I flew multi engine airplane and I've noticed that for every thousand feet my RPM indicators slightly decrease. I have to add more power to maintain the same airspeed. some times it get to the point where I'm at full power and I'm barely getting the normal cruise speed.
– Abdull
2 hours ago










1 Answer
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Flying higher means less drag because the air is thinner; therefore, you can fly faster at altitude and hence travel farther on less fuel.



However, flying higher also means less oxygen available to burn your fuel, so available horsepower decreases with altitude.



There is a special altitude at which these two effects (drag reduction and available power reduction) achieve a crossover point. This is called the critical altitude and it is there where you achieve optimum cruise and best economy.



If you want to fly higher than critical altitude, you will fly slower because the power loss is greater than the drag reduction and you will spend more time in the air.






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
    – Ron Beyer
    1 hour ago










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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
3
down vote



accepted










Flying higher means less drag because the air is thinner; therefore, you can fly faster at altitude and hence travel farther on less fuel.



However, flying higher also means less oxygen available to burn your fuel, so available horsepower decreases with altitude.



There is a special altitude at which these two effects (drag reduction and available power reduction) achieve a crossover point. This is called the critical altitude and it is there where you achieve optimum cruise and best economy.



If you want to fly higher than critical altitude, you will fly slower because the power loss is greater than the drag reduction and you will spend more time in the air.






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
    – Ron Beyer
    1 hour ago














up vote
3
down vote



accepted










Flying higher means less drag because the air is thinner; therefore, you can fly faster at altitude and hence travel farther on less fuel.



However, flying higher also means less oxygen available to burn your fuel, so available horsepower decreases with altitude.



There is a special altitude at which these two effects (drag reduction and available power reduction) achieve a crossover point. This is called the critical altitude and it is there where you achieve optimum cruise and best economy.



If you want to fly higher than critical altitude, you will fly slower because the power loss is greater than the drag reduction and you will spend more time in the air.






share|improve this answer
















  • 1




    You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
    – Ron Beyer
    1 hour ago












up vote
3
down vote



accepted







up vote
3
down vote



accepted






Flying higher means less drag because the air is thinner; therefore, you can fly faster at altitude and hence travel farther on less fuel.



However, flying higher also means less oxygen available to burn your fuel, so available horsepower decreases with altitude.



There is a special altitude at which these two effects (drag reduction and available power reduction) achieve a crossover point. This is called the critical altitude and it is there where you achieve optimum cruise and best economy.



If you want to fly higher than critical altitude, you will fly slower because the power loss is greater than the drag reduction and you will spend more time in the air.






share|improve this answer












Flying higher means less drag because the air is thinner; therefore, you can fly faster at altitude and hence travel farther on less fuel.



However, flying higher also means less oxygen available to burn your fuel, so available horsepower decreases with altitude.



There is a special altitude at which these two effects (drag reduction and available power reduction) achieve a crossover point. This is called the critical altitude and it is there where you achieve optimum cruise and best economy.



If you want to fly higher than critical altitude, you will fly slower because the power loss is greater than the drag reduction and you will spend more time in the air.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 2 hours ago









niels nielsen

1,2841212




1,2841212







  • 1




    You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
    – Ron Beyer
    1 hour ago












  • 1




    You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
    – Ron Beyer
    1 hour ago







1




1




You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
– Ron Beyer
1 hour ago




You don't necessarily fly slower above that altitude, you just fly more inefficiently. The issue is that the stall speed increases at the same point you start approaching critical mach, so the "window" between these two speeds gets smaller, which is known as the coffin corner.
– Ron Beyer
1 hour ago

















 

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