Plane Facts: Altitude

Typical airliner service ceiling: 45,000 ft.
Average cruising altitude: 35,000 ft.
Miles from ground: 7
Altitude loss during moderate turbulence: 10-20 ft.
How much it feels like to passengers: Hundreds
Americans with aviophobia (fear of flying): 6.5%

Service ceiling of Cessna 172: 13,000-15,000 ft. ASL
Cirrus SR22: 17,500 ft.
Turbine-engine helicopters: 25,000 ft.
At hover: 10,000-13,000 ft.
World record for helicopter flight: 42,489 ft.
Model: AS350 B2 "Squirrel"

Lowest airshow maneuver by the Blue Angels: 50 ft.
Maneuver name: Sneak Pass
Speed performed: 700 mph
Speed of sound: 767 mph
Average underwear changes by public after Sneak Pass: A lot
Maximum climb rate of F/A-18: 30,000 ft./min.

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Altitude requiring oxygen by pilots at all times: 14,000 ft.
Elevation of highest city in the world: 16,830 ft.
Location: La Rinconada, Peru
Residents: 50,000

Highest-altitude airport in North America: Lake County Airport, Leadville, Colorado
World ranking: Third
Elevation: 9,927 ft. ASL
Average density altitude in summer: 13,000 ft.
Runway length: 6,400 ft.

Average skydiving altitude: 13,000 ft. AGL
Time in freefall: 60 seconds
Parachute pull altitude: 2,500-4,500 ft.
Deployment distance required: 600-1,200 ft.
Minimum height to activate Cirrus CAPS: 400 ft.

Highest-flying bird in the world: Rüppell's Griffon Vulture
Confirmed altitude of flight: 37,000 ft. ASL