There are comfort advantages for GA pilots flying turbocharged piston-engine aircraft in mid-level altitudes – from about 9,000 and up to 17,500 feet, .
Reason 15 – The Comfort
From 9,000 to 12,000 feet oxygen is not required and there’s a lot less traffic. Even in the summer, those altitudes typically offer a smooth ride in clear sky above thermal activity, and a view down into columns of popcorn top clouds where GA traffic usually plows through or around the IMC obstacles.
Comfortable options for supplemental oxygen are available from 12,500 to 17,500 feet. You can cover a lot of ground fast by taking advantage of the thinner air, and Air Traffic Controllers are more likely to grant direct to routing requests. At higher altitudes there are fewer ATC frequency hand-offs which generally allows for quieter radio time.
A turbocharged Cirrus can quickly carry you into flight altitudes that are more comfortable.
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