altitude level

Meaning

This term refers to the height of an aircraft or object above sea level. It is commonly used by pilots, air traffic controllers, and in flight announcements or tracking screens to describe how high the plane is flying.

Examples

• The pilot announced that we have reached our cruising altitude level of 36,000 feet.

  The pilot announced that we have reached our cruising altitude level of 36,000 feet.

• Due to turbulence, the aircraft had to change its altitude level.

  Due to turbulence, the aircraft had to change its altitude level.

• You can track our current speed and altitude level on the seatback screen.

  You can track our current speed and altitude level on the seatback screen.

• The cabin pressure is adjusted automatically based on our altitude level.

  The cabin pressure is adjusted automatically based on our altitude level.

• It takes about twenty minutes for the plane to descend from its cruising altitude level.

  It takes about twenty minutes for the plane to descend from its cruising altitude level.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ The plane is flying at a high height level.

  ✓ The plane is flying at a high altitude level.

  'Height level' is not standard English when referring to aviation; 'altitude level' or simply 'altitude' is the correct term.

• ✗ We reached our final altitude level after one hour.

  ✓ We reached our cruising altitude level after one hour.

  'Cruising altitude' or 'cruising altitude level' is the specific collocated term for the steady phase of a flight.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The captain said we would remain at this ___ until we begin our descent.

  💡 The height at which the plane is flying.

  Show answer

  altitude level

• You can see the current ___ on the flight entertainment system.

  💡 Height above sea level.

  Show answer

  altitude level