How to determine cruise altitude

[JWS]

Can someone help me on this? When planning a short flight I always have trouble to find the right cruise altitude (that I have to enter into the FMC/CDU). Now from real life I know e.g. that a hop between Amsterdam and London Heathrow has a cruise level of 240 (return flight will probably be 250).

Are there ball park figures (for a 737) to use, e.g. depending on the distance to be flown?

JWS

[fly_ebos]

Johan, with your example you are referring to city pairs that are level capped to the lower airspace. By the way the London to Amsterdam will cruise at FL230 as FL250 is upper airspace. Other examples of capping: EHAM to LFPG, EBBR, LFST...

For destinations further away I can tell you out of experience (as an atco), that 90% of the time a B737 from KLM or Transavia will cruise at FL370 or FL390. Reasons to go lower would occasionally be beter winds, too cold and ofcourse weight restricted.

[JWS]

Thanks,

actually I did not refer to city pairs because I was not aware of their existence. Can you supply me with a list of those city pairs (to/from Amsterdam and Rotterdam) which, I presume, will be flown at 230 or 240?
FL370 will be the limit for the classics if I'm correct, but the NG can go up to FL410. Why stick to 390?

Regards,

Jan Willem

[fly_ebos]

Jan,

These are the only pairs that I know of out of EHAM, but there will definatly be more. Out of EHRD there are none (except London City) that I can think of as most traffic has a sunny destination.

FL410 is not often used immediatly after departure because the B737 will be to heavy. It's more common to do a step climb after about 2-3 hours, when enough fuel is burnt.

[JWS]

Well, Transavia flies to Gatwick from Rotterdam (which is not always sunny).

Any idea where I could lay my hand on such info (also for other airports)? Or do I just have to draw a cirkel around Amsterdam with the distance of (let's say) Paris?

Thanks anyway.

Jan Willem

[fly_ebos]

Or do I just have to draw a cirkel around Amsterdam with the distance of (let's say) Paris?

That would be a good start