Wrong cruise altitudes

[IF-Mallorca]

Hello, I have one question.
Why are we told in the flying guides to fly an odd altitude flying east and an even altitude flying weather if in real live this is in the other way? I just checked it in Flight Radar.

[Tsumia]

@IF-Mallorca

I just checked it in Flight Radar.

Can you show us an example?

[Dylan_M]

@IF-Mallorca

odd altitude flying east and an even altitude flying west

Pretty sure this is how it’s done in real life…

[AndrewWu]

Sometimes ATC will assign alternate altitudes to certain aircraft. It is also common for aircraft overflying oceans to go against the standard rules.

[Kstate]

It is correct

[IF-Mallorca]

Now I thought It could be the Spanish airspace…

[Emiel_l]

In some countries it isn’t sorted east/west, but north/south. I believe this is in France, Spain, Italy and some other countries

So aircraft going North (270-089) fly at an even altitude, and aircraft going South (090-269) fly at an odd altitude

[Aceorbit]

Bro I never knew this my mind is blown

[Zak_Plant]

And there is also other exceptions like the Atlantic NavTracks. I believe the minimum seperation is 3mins but any altitude is assigned from FL280-FL430

[Skydriver900]

👀… nat tracks… now we talkin! Typically stop in the upper 30s we always try and go above them😂

[Chitown]

You don’t have to follow the track if you can go above the altitudes, correct?

[Skydriver900]

Even though you’re above the track, which means technically you’re not on the track you’re still navigating to the same way points, for best winds typically.

[Pedro_Maia]

Going east - magnetic course between 000 and 179 ° - odd level (FL 250, 270, etc.)
Going west - magnetic course between 180 and 359 ° - even level (FL 260, 280, etc.)

[xsrvmy]

You don’t have to anyways. You just need a way point every 10 degrees longitude. Typically people taking the track will use opposite of regular IFR altitudes.

[VVBA6]

There’s certain exceptions such as ATC assigned (for many other reasons), non RVSM aircraft, and above FL410 all aircraft fly odd altitudes in the US.

[roostbrood]

There are a lot of tiny restrictions depending on certain countries. For example, if you take off in Belgium and going southbound over France, you always need to fly at an uneven Flight Level. Even if you fly at a heading of 200.