Originally Posted by
dbtownley
The Military gets a free pass. They are covered under one of the 5 exceptions to the rule. Another is when doing flight test for first time RVSM approval.
We're not quite 'free:' we have to state negative-RVSM, and it is subject to controller approval/workload. That makes us the same as any other non-RVSM aircraft.
I try to show it to my students when we are cross-country, so they can learn the terminology, and see how the aircraft handles in the 30s (it's different; gets a little twitchy above FL320). I can get approval usually only once every 2-3 months.
Now, if it were for operational necessity (chasing somebody to stop an attack), all bets are off.