Why is 37,000 feet cruising altitude for passenger aircraft?
There are a number of reasons for this. First off, it’s typically commercial airliners flying at or near this alititude. One reason is because the air is thinner, less fuel would be consumed, less air traffic (no smaller aircraft), and often times the ride is more smooth! The altitude an airliner flies at often times decided by the air traffic controllers, though the pilots do report on the turbulence. If the air traffic controller specifies 32000 feet, and the pilot reports turbulence, the pilot can request for a higher altitude, but ultimately, the air traffic controller decides whether or not to approve that request, and takes into account other reports of turbulence at that same altitude, and uses this when considering wheat altitude to request other pilots to fly at as well. One more thing to note – When traveling east, the altitude will be an odd numbered thousand (33,000 feet, 35,000 feet, 37,000 feet) When traveling west, the altitude will be an even numbered thousand (32,000 f