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To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 9.0.124 or greater is installed. There is a second traffic cluster at FL280 and below. Many business aviation trips are short, so it is effec-tive to stay low, below traffic and hence reduce the potential for any en route delays. It also avoids Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) air-space6, which is at FL290 and above. To enter RVSM airspace airframes require specific equipment and approval. It is noticeable that few turboprops ask for higher than FL290 – the main exceptions are the B350 (e.g. Beech Super King 350) in the low 300s and the P180 (Piaggi 180) in the upper 300s. The Eclipse VLJ is reported as having an optimum level of around FL310 and the Phenom 100 FL350-370. At lower altitudes, differences in business aircraft type are evident, with a significant number of piston aircraft with maximum RFLs of FL190-200. As business and other traffic grows this clustering of demand will increase the scope for competition in two ways: business and other aircraft will want the same levels, and where the two traffic segments are looking for different levels, the need for other air traffic to pass through layers of business aviation to get to their desired level, and vice versa. 6 http://www.ecacnav.com/RVSM, where vertical separation is 1000 rather than the usual 2000 feet. Figure 24. Requested Flight Levels of business aircraft (2005). (Shading shows density of non-business traffic.)
Figure 25. Only at the longest ranges do business jets get above the main flow of traffic (2005). (Shading shows density of non-business traffic.)
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