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Aviation glossary

Absolute Ceiling

What is absolute ceiling?

FAA handbook figure illustrating absolute ceiling

The absolute ceiling is the maximum altitude an aircraft can reach, where the air is so thin that the airplane can no longer climb—its rate of climb has dropped to zero. Don't confuse this with the service ceiling, which is the lower altitude where the climb rate falls to a specified minimum (usually 100 feet per minute). Think of it as the absolute "top of the world" for your aircraft—you simply can't go any higher.

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