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The service ceiling of my aircraft is FL240, but we rarely fly above FL195! Should I fly below FL195 in order to avoid investing in 8.33 kHz radios?

April 26, 2017aircraft avoid ceiling fl195 fly Investing rarely service

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The service ceiling of my aircraft is FL240, but we rarely fly above FL195! Should I fly below FL195 in order to avoid investing in 8.33 kHz radios?

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Equipping with 8.33 kHz radios represents an important investment for aircraft operators. The decision needs to take into account the cost of equipping with 8.33 kHz radios, versus: – Additional fuel costs when flying at sub-optimal flight profiles; – A lack of operational flexibility, for example when faced with adverse weather conditions. It is important to bear in mind that, given anticipated VHF congestion problems, 8.33 kHz channel spacing may be implemented below FL195 in the future. See http://www.eurocontrol.int/vhf833/public/standard_page/below_fl195.html.