<< >> NASA ASRS Report 661114, June 2005

A pilot comments on his air carrier's policy of flying very high at low airspds and the potential for entering a high altitude stall.

Attributes
ACN	661114
Time
Date	200506
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	661114
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

To save fuel; air carrier now flight plans at maximum range cruise; which can be a very low airspeed at FL370. It will be only a matter of a short time before someone stalls in these conditions. We have no altitude capability charts for these speeds/altitudes. This is a bad idea especially in today's environment. This is a risk and pressure put on the pilot that is unsafe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT COMMENTS ON HIS ACR'S POLICY OF FLYING VERY HIGH AT LOW AIRSPDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ENTERING A HIGH ALT STALL.

Narrative: TO SAVE FUEL; ACR NOW FLT PLANS AT MAX RANGE CRUISE; WHICH CAN BE A VERY LOW AIRSPD AT FL370. IT WILL BE ONLY A MATTER OF A SHORT TIME BEFORE SOMEONE STALLS IN THESE CONDITIONS. WE HAVE NO ALT CAPABILITY CHARTS FOR THESE SPDS/ALTS. THIS IS A BAD IDEA ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS A RISK AND PRESSURE PUT ON THE PLT THAT IS UNSAFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.