Why airliners cruise at 11 km instead of 3 km.

At 11 km the air has only about a quarter of its density at ground level. Less air means less drag, so the aircraft burns far less fuel for the same speed. Nearly all weather also lies below, making the ride smoother. Going much higher barely works: the engines get too little oxygen and the wings too little lift.

Useful: Turbulence at cruise altitude is mostly jet-stream effects, not thunderstorms.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Luftfahrt Physik Reisen

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