At what altitude do passenger planes fly? Kings of the stratosphere: the highest altitude combat aircraft in the world The highest altitude aircraft in the world

Looking into the sky, one could only estimate at what altitude the planes were flying, but it was not possible to determine this accurately without special equipment. The situation changes if you are inside an airliner; From here it is much easier for you to determine the altitude of the aircraft, since a special display can be located in the cabin, which will display information about the flight status. In the article we will find out what the maximum height of modern aircraft is and who set this record.

In general, there are several factors that influence the choice of the optimal aircraft altitude:

• Model of the plane itself
• His movement speed
• Fuel consumption
• The amount of oxygen in the air

The higher we rise above the ground, the thinner the air around us will become. At high altitudes, rock climbers and mountaineers use special oxygen masks, and airplane cabins are sealed and contain enough air for comfortable breathing. These factors indicate that a person will not be able to stay so high in the atmosphere without the use of special equipment.

However, for airplanes and, in general, any fast-flying vehicles, such rarefied air plays into the hands, since it reduces the resistance of air flows. This affects the overall fuel consumption, since less energy is spent on overcoming the force of friction with the air, accordingly, less fuel is needed for greater speed. Therefore, there is a dependence of the speed on the possible height.

An airliner will also not be able to fly very high, since air currents, albeit rarefied, are necessary for it to support the wings, working similarly to water for a ship. Therefore, passenger planes will not fly above 12,000 meters, as they will lose the air support they need so much. It turns out that the higher the flight altitude, the lower the fuel consumption and the lower the ticket price; Aviation companies are guided by these two factors.

Air traffic control service

Nowadays, there are many planes flying in the sky. Air traffic control services monitor and calculate the ideal altitude. Using their equipment, they process and respond to pilot requests, monitor the weather, turbulence zones, and ensure that planes each fly their own route to avoid collisions.

When creating a route, the weather forecast, atmospheric pressure, possible natural disasters, and political situations on the territory of states are taken into account. There is a certain range of altitudes within which the airliner usually flies, and permission from the dispatcher is required to change the altitude above or below - this range is called the flight level. In addition, there is also lateral separation; this is when the distance between the two sides is more than 10,000 meters, and is maintained to avoid air turbulence.

Features of flight of non-passenger aircraft

For very different reasons, passenger aircraft have very different flight altitudes. If a civilian aircraft is equipped with a jet engine, it will fly at a distance of about 12,000 meters from the ground. Among similar aircraft, the Boeing 737-400 achieves such a height. The characteristics of the Airbus A310 aircraft allow it to reach an altitude of 11 thousand meters.

Airplanes carrying cargo, also known as cargo airliners, are not much different from ordinary ones. passenger aircraft, and have the same principle of economy. Airplanes, whose speed is about 300 km/h, fly at an altitude of 2000 meters. This parameter also depends on the aircraft model and its technical parameters.

As for non-civilian aircraft, they have a specially designed structure that helps them reach supersonic speeds without being detected. Combat aircraft primarily fly at altitudes exceeding 15 thousand meters. Some of them, thanks to their specific design, are even capable of reaching a height of 25 kilometers.

At one time, the MiG-21 was the most common combat aircraft in the world; in the USSR it was produced in various modifications from 1959 to 1985. The aircraft performed well during the military operations in Vietnam; Thanks to its amazing maneuverability, it was able to dodge missiles flying at it and more than successfully fight with the American F-4 Phantom. At one time he set several flight altitude records.

MiG-25 – king of the sky

However, the aircraft altitude record now already belongs to the legendary MiG-25, which gained an altitude of 37,650 meters during test tests. Despite its not very attractive name, awe-inspiring appearance and good technical performance, it truly has one of the highest possible altitudes among aircraft in its class. This device was developed by the USSR specifically to combat American supersonic bombers, which were never created.

The aircraft has a very high flight speed and is capable of carrying a significant bomb load on board. Based on its technical parameters, the fighter could perfectly cope with the defense of airspace against American penetration. However, the hopes that were placed on him were never realized.

Despite its excellent technical data, it still had flaws in its design, and the main aspect for which it was created had disappeared. All these factors meant that its competitiveness was significantly weakened compared to the best fighters of the time, and besides, the MiG-21 was cheaper to maintain. Therefore, the aircraft soon ceased to be present in the world's military arsenals, with the exception of some possible individual units.

The MiG-25 has truly amazing capabilities. Its speed in normal mode is Mach 2.5, but this is not the limit - the plane is capable of reaching Mach 3, but no one does this, since there is a possibility of engine destruction. The aircraft was intended for aerial reconnaissance, equipped with powerful R-40 air-to-air missiles with a range of 80 kilometers, and had advanced photographic and electronic special equipment.

One of the main disadvantages of the MiG-25 was its heavy weight, much greater than that of its Western competitors. Its maneuverability and handling suffered greatly at high speeds and low altitudes; In the circumstances of a normal dogfight, its radar capabilities were rather limited compared to other enemy fighters, and the difficulty of piloting at low altitudes meant that it simply could not be effective in such operations. Such imperfections of the aircraft could have been forgiven if it had been used at least once in a high-altitude interception operation, but it was much more often used for other purposes.

Almost all of these aircraft were removed from service after the collapse of the USSR. It served as the basis for the creation of one of the best fighters - the MiG-31. Nevertheless, the record for the maximum flight altitude of an aircraft still belongs to him.

MOSCOW, March 3 – RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. In the air battles of World War II, an iron rule was born: whoever is taller has an advantage. To suddenly dive onto an enemy plane from the direction of the sun, escape like a candle from anti-aircraft guns, photograph a fortified area and get out of the air defense zone unnoticed - only a high-flying bird is capable of this. Today, in the era of powerful radars and long-range anti-aircraft missiles, the old axioms are no longer so relevant. However, height still plays a vital role in military affairs. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the highest altitude aircraft in Russia and the United States - both in service and sent to a well-deserved “retirement”.

MiG-25

The third generation supersonic high-altitude fighter-interceptor MiG-25 began entering the Soviet Air Force in 1970. At that time, there was no aircraft in the world capable of evading this machine. It reached speeds of up to 2,800 kilometers per hour and could climb to a height of more than 20 thousand meters in just nine minutes. Over decades of operation, the MiG-25 played the role of interceptor, reconnaissance aircraft, stratospheric bomber, air defense breakthrough fighter, and training vehicle. Powerful engines and a durable airframe allowed it to withstand enormous overloads, and the latest avionics for that time helped it to navigate perfectly in the air and see all types of targets.

The MiG-25 holds 29 world records. The most significant and not yet beaten by any manned jet aircraft was installed by test pilot Alexander Fedotov on August 21, 1977. He lifted his experienced MiG-25M to an incredible 37,650 meters! Of course, this was a lightweight “flying laboratory” and not a production copy. But the “standard” height for combat vehicles is 23 kilometers—an altitude unattainable for the vast majority of aircraft of that time. So, in the early 70s, Soviet pilots flying reconnaissance modifications of the MiG-25 freely flew over the entire territory of Israel, Turkey and Iran.

SR-71 Blackbird

The American strategic reconnaissance aircraft SR-71 is one of the main symbols of the Cold War. Even now, this aircraft, which first took to the air in 1964, looks like a guest from the future: futuristic design, a tailless layout that was rare at that time, stealth technology and outstanding flight performance. technical specifications. In 1976, Drozd set an absolute speed record among manned aircraft with turbojet engines - 3529.56 kilometers per hour. The maximum height reached by the SR-71 is 25,929 meters.

During the Cold War, these aircraft became a working tool of the CIA. They carried out reconnaissance flights over the territory of the USSR and Cuba, photographed military installations in Egypt, Jordan and Syria in 1973, and flew over Indochina. The SR-71 is the only type of American aircraft that North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners could not shoot down. He avoided the missiles by sharply gaining altitude and increasing speed - the reconnaissance officer did not even need to maneuver to break away from the pursuit. However, by the end of the 70s, MiG-31 fighters appeared in the USSR: they were quite capable of intercepting the SR-71. Ultimately, this led to the closure of the strategic reconnaissance jet program.

MiG-31

Of all the aircraft currently in service, the fastest and one of the highest altitude is the Russian MiG-31 fighter-interceptor, a direct descendant of the MiG-25. Thanks to its powerful D-30F6 engines, it is capable of accelerating up to 3,400 kilometers per hour and rising to a height of up to 25 thousand meters. These indicators, coupled with a flight range of 2,240 kilometers without external fuel tanks, make the MiG-31 an ideal interceptor in an integrated system air defense. A group of four such aircraft is capable of controlling airspace with a frontal length of up to 1,100 kilometers. Today, the entire MiG-31 fleet is being upgraded to the BM version, which differs new system weapons control and on-board radar, which detects targets at a distance of up to 320 kilometers.

The military leadership of the USSR tried to use the ability of the MiG-31 to quickly gain speed and altitude to solve many problems, including strategic ones. In the 1980s, Soviet designers were developing a special anti-satellite missile to arm modified interceptors. In case great war these MiG-31s ​​were supposed to go to maximum altitude and attack enemy satellites hanging in low orbits with new weapons.

U-2

The American U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft first flew on August 1, 1955. At that time, this vehicle was invulnerable to Soviet air defense systems. Subsonic U-2s were more than comfortable at altitudes above 20 kilometers and could remain in the air for up to seven hours. Naturally, US intelligence actively used the new aircraft, regularly sending them into Soviet airspace. However, this did not last long. On May 1, 1960, the scandal of CIA pilot Francis Powers, who flew a U-2C plane two thousand kilometers into Soviet airspace and was shot down by an S-75 anti-aircraft missile, thundered throughout the world.

Su-27 – 2500 km/h

Su-27 is a Soviet/Russian multi-role, highly maneuverable, all-weather, heavy fighter of the fourth generation, developed by the Sukhoi Company. It was intended as a direct competitor to large fourth-generation fighters built in the United States, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and F-15 Eagle. The first flight of the Su-27 prototype took place on May 20, 1977, and in 1985 it entered service with the Soviet Air Force. Today it is one of the main fighters in Russia; its modifications are in service with India, China and many other countries.

General Dynamics F-111 – 2655 km/h

The General Dynamics F-111 is a supersonic American tactical bomber, aerial reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics. It made its first flight on December 21, 1964, and was put into operation on July 18, 1967. He took an extensive part in combat operations in Vietnam. A total of 562 units were produced during production for the US Air Force and the Australian Air Force.

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle – 2665 km/h

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an all-weather tactical fighter aircraft developed in the early 1970s by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) for the US Air Force to achieve air superiority. Its first flight took place in July 1972. In 1974 it was put into operation. Exported to Israel, Japan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.

MiG-31 – 3000 km/h

MiG-31 is a two-seat supersonic heavy fighter-interceptor. Work on its creation began at PJSC RSK MiG in 1968. The first flight took place on September 16, 1975. The aircraft was built on the basis of the single-seat MiG-25, primarily to cover the territory of the USSR from cruise missile attacks from the Arctic, where there was no continuous radar field. It is the first Soviet fourth generation fighter.

North American XB-70 Valkyrie – 3309 km/h

North American XB-70 Valkyrie is a prototype of an American strategic bomber that was supposed to fly at an altitude of 21 thousand meters at a speed three times the speed of sound. A total of two copies were built. The first experimental aircraft, the XB-70 Valkyrie, first flew on September 21, 1964, the second on July 17, 1965. One of the aircraft is now in National Museum US Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. The second, on June 8, 1966, while flying in formation of several aircraft, collided in the air with a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, fell to the ground and was completely destroyed.

Bell X-2 – 3370 km/h

Bell X-2 is an American experimental aircraft designed to study aerodynamic and thermodynamic characteristics during flight at speeds from 2 to 3 Mach number. Its development began in 1945 by Bell Aircraft Corporation in conjunction with NACA and the US Air Force. The creation of the X-2 aircraft was completed in 1952, and its testing began in 1953. A total of two copies were built. Both met with disaster, after which research was stopped.

MiG-25 – 3470 km/h

MiG-25 is a supersonic Soviet/Russian fighter and reconnaissance aircraft, the world's first production fighter to reach a speed of more than 3 thousand km/h. It was developed by JSC RSK MiG in the early 1960s. It is the last aircraft designed by Mikhail Gurevich before his retirement. The first flight of the prototype took place in 1965, and in 1970 it was put into operation. A total of 1,190 copies were produced.

Lockheed YF-12 – 3661 km/h

Third place in the list of the fastest manned aircraft in the world is occupied by the Lockheed YF-12, an American interceptor prototype developed by the famous aircraft designer Clarence Johnson on the basis of the Lockheed A-12 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. This aircraft is the world's largest manned interceptor. It first flew on August 7, 1963. A total of three YF-12s were produced, each valued at approximately $18 million. After a series of flight tests, the project was closed.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird – 3818 km/h

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is an American strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed in the late 50s by Lockheed based on the Lockheed A-12 aircraft. It is the first aircraft created using stealth technologies. Its first flight took place on December 22, 1964. It was in US service from 1964 to 1998 and was actively used for espionage. A total of 32 aircraft were produced, 12 of which crashed due to accidents (none were shot down).

North American X-15 – 7274 km/h

The North American X-15 is a hypersonic experimental rocket plane that has set a number of world speed and altitude records (107.96 km). Work on its creation began in 1955 and was entrusted to North American Aviation. A total of three prototypes were produced. On March 10, 1959, the car took off for the first time. Over the course of nine years - from 1959 to 1968, out of a planned 200 test flights, the X-15 carried out 199. The record was the flight of pilot Joe Walker on August 22, 1963.

When the conversation turns to speed, it takes your breath away. If we are talking about planes flying at supersonic speeds, then this is something fantastic. All these aircraft are masterpieces of engineering, equipped with the most advanced technologies of its time.

Top 10

He has truly fantastic speed 11,230 km/h. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Developed using technology alternative to turbojet engines in our time.

Although its maximum speed is listed as 12,144 km/h, he's not in first place. This is explained by the fact that at the time of testing, the X-43 record had not been broken. Both the first and second aircraft were developed by NASA using the latest technologies.

It is rightfully considered one of the fastest aircraft with a pilot on board. The maximum speed it can reach is 8200 km/h. This is almost seven times the speed of sound. The aircraft was designed for research into hypersonic flight. The X-15 is equipped with a rocket engine. However, it can only take off on board a strategic bomber, from where it takes off. The maximum altitude reached by the aircraft is 107 kilometers.

1. "Blackbird" or SR-71

The aircraft is a reconnaissance aircraft for the US Air Force. The aircraft was produced in limited quantities - 32 aircraft. The first aircraft equipped with stealth technology. Maximum speed approx. 4102 km/h. The plane was actively used for espionage.

1. YF-12

Outwardly, it is no different from the Blackbird, except that it carries air-to-air weapons. It was the predecessor and prototype of the SR-71. Maximum speed: 3,661 km/h.

1. Legendary MiG-25

It was designed to intercept the American Blackbird and had a speed of 3916 km/h. The characteristics of this combat aircraft are impressive - at a speed of more than 3 times the speed of sound, it was capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 25 kilometers. It has proven itself very well in a number of military conflicts.

What makes it unique is that in 1954 it reached a speed unimaginable at that time. But after an unsuccessful flight, its production program was closed. Maximum speed: 3,370 km/h.

1. Valkyrie XB-70

A truly super-powerful aircraft from the Cold War era. Designed to deliver nuclear weapons in a short time. High speed ( 3672 km/h) allowed to avoid consequences nuclear explosion, as well as from enemy interceptors.

1. MiG-31

At a speed of 3464 km/h. This aircraft, thanks to its powerful engines, was capable of reaching such speeds at any altitude. The technical radar filling made it possible for several aircraft to control a fairly wide area.

It’s incredible, but this aircraft has been in service for 40 years and will serve the US Air Force for at least another 8 years. His speed is 3065 km/h, as well as technical characteristics and scope make it indispensable for the Air Force.

Top 4 passenger aircraft

1. Tu-144

The legendary Soviet supersonic airliner had a speed of 2430 km/h. A truly fantastic result for that time among passenger aircraft. By the will of fate, it gave way to Concorde, which for a long time (until 2003) carried out passenger transatlantic flights.

When it comes to designing passenger aircraft, this model deserves a place at the top. Even from the name it becomes clear that the future aircraft will overcome the speed of sound ( 2335 km/h). The plane will be designed for any category of passengers.

Reaches speeds of 1153 km/h. The fastest civil vessel with business jet status. Used mainly as a private one for wealthy businessmen and business people.

And finally, the fastest scheduled passenger aircraft is an engineering masterpiece of Airbus. The newest aircraft, which, in addition to its speed, is also the world's largest double-decker airliner. Maximum speed: 1,020 km/h.

Military aircraft

The fastest military aircraft in the world are the Russian MiG-25 and the American SR-71. Interesting fact is that soviet fighter was actually created to neutralize the American intelligence officer. The MiG set a lot of speed records of its time. The pilots who piloted this aircraft claimed that the aircraft was capable of exceeding Mach 3.5 (the speed of sound). This value is greater than that of the American Blackbird. However, this is not documented anywhere. In turn, the SR-71 did not have sufficient reliability. Over the entire history of its flights, a third of the aircraft produced were lost.

Combat aircraft

Much has already been said about record-breaking military aircraft from various years. The fastest combat aircraft currently in use is the MiG-31. The fighter is designed to destroy targets in the air at any altitude and in any weather conditions. The enemy's use of thermal and radio interference is not a problem for the vehicle.

Created to intercept cruise missiles. Nowadays, they are used in military conflicts to solve a wide range of problems. For some time they were used as “special forces” in the Russian air defense forces.

The video shows the takeoff of this fast car

Turboprop aircraft

A truly unique aircraft, which has been in service since the distant 1952 (!) year. The speed for that time was amazing – 924 km/h. The engines, with a power of 15,000 horsepower, set a Guinness record for screw engines. The aircraft is still in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and performs wide range combat missions.

An interesting fact is that the speed of the Tu-95 is slightly less than the speed of the American B-52 jet. The aircraft's armament and technical characteristics allow it to safely hit targets beyond the range of enemy radar equipment.

The relevance of the vehicle is also confirmed by its use in the military conflict in Syria, where a bomber regiment successfully completed a number of tasks assigned to it.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that aircraft production technologies do not stand still. However, those aircraft that were discussed above will firmly take their place in the history of aircraft manufacturing as advanced aircraft at that time. Who knows what records await humanity in the future, and what purposes new hypersonic aircraft will accomplish. Time will tell all this.

The profession of a pilot acquired a romantic aura at the dawn of aircraft construction - every person who took off into the sky seemed like a hero. Over the past decades, little has changed - many still consider the ability to fly a miracle. The pilots themselves, however, communicate with the planes on a first-name basis, getting the most out of the flying machines. We remembered the seven most interesting aviation records in history.

Airplane speed record

The record of 3,529.56 km/h was recorded on the US Air Force's kilometer-long training route when Captain Eldon W. Joeltz and Major George T. Morgan piloted a Lockheed SR-71A at an altitude of 26 kilometers. In 1990, this milestone could have been broken - US Air Force Lieutenant Colonels Joseph Weed and Edward Yalding reached 3,609 km/h, but the record was not counted - the pilots did not fly through special measuring points.

Altitude record (for jet-powered aircraft)

This record was set by Soviet pilot Alexander Fedotov. Piloting the MiG-25, Fedotov took the record “slide” - he accelerated the plane to 3,000 km/h, after which he began to sharply gain altitude and, having reached 37,650 meters, sent the plane down. This altitude was taken without the weight load of the aircraft, but the loaded machine performed little worse - it reached 37,080 meters.

Maximum number of aircraft shot down in one battle (among Soviet pilots)

On July 6, 1943, while patrolling the airspace as part of a group of La-5 fighters, Senior Lieutenant Alexander Horovets encountered a large group (from 20 to 50) of German bombers. Alexander's comrades clashed with the Messerschmitts while he single-handedly took on the bombers. In the battle, Alexander shot down nine bombers (one by ramming), which is the best result among Soviet pilots. But the pilot himself did not survive - German fighters shot him down while returning to the airfield. Horovets did not have time to eject.

Record breaking record

The An-225 Mriya aircraft was created for the needs of the Soviet space program and was intended to transport large cargo (for example, spaceships). "Mriya" set 240 world records, and these include: Weight Limit commercial cargo (247 tons), maximum lifting capacity (253.8 tons) and the heaviest mono-cargo (187.6 tons - that’s how much the generator with a special frame for the Yerevan power plant weighed). The most interesting record was set on September 27, 2012 - then “Mriya” raised a gallery of 500 paintings by 120 artists to a height of 10,500 meters, becoming the platform for the highest exhibition in the world.

Record landing speed for a civil aircraft

During a regular flight Kaliningrad-Odessa, the crew of the Tu-134 aircraft was warned about weather conditions and received recommendations to reduce speed. The plane's pilots ignored instrument warnings and turned off the high-speed alarms. The plane landed at a speed of 440 km/h (recommended - 330 km/h), and touched down at 415 km/h without releasing the flaps. The plane flew across runway, stopping one and a half meters from the descent onto the ground. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Thus, with severe violation of instructions and discipline, a world record was set. What were the further adventures of the cheerful crew of the plane, history is silent.

Civil aircraft speed record

August 2010

The Gulfstream G650 aircraft reached maximum speed at 1219 km/h in the skies over Georgia. To do this, pilots Tom Home and Harry Freeman launched the plane into a dive at an angle of 16-18 degrees. This aircraft is a business class transport and carries only eight passengers. The Gulfstream G650 copes well with long distances - the aircraft covers more than 11,000 kilometers without landing at a speed of 906 km/h.

The largest firefighting aircraft

The Evergreen 747 Supertanker was converted from a Boeing 747-100. This aircraft is capable of carrying 77,600 liters of extinguishing agent, making it the largest firefighting aircraft. The plane is currently based in the United States, but if necessary, it goes where help is needed. So, for the first time the aircraft showed itself in Cuenca (Spain). In 2010, Evergreen extinguished a fire in Israel on Mount Carmel, and in 2011 it was used in a complex fire in Arizona.