Why business jets cruise above commercial airline traffic
Private jets are built to fly higher than most airliners, with types such as the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 7500 certified to 51,000 feet. The difference comes from aircraft design rather than reserved airspace.
Business aircraft often cruise above the levels used by commercial airlines. That is a matter of design, not of any separate band of airspace set aside for them.
The Gulfstream G650, for example, can climb to an initial cruise altitude of 41,000 feet (12,497 metres) and has a maximum operating altitude of 51,000 feet (15,544 metres). The Bombardier Global 7500 has the same 51,000-foot ceiling.
Up there the air is thinner, traffic is less dense and there are fewer weather systems to work around. Whether a business jet flies that high depends on its weight, its route and the clearance it receives from air traffic control.
Sources
- simpleflying.com5 Reasons Why Private Jets Almost Always Cruise Above Airline Traffic