They go higher than normal passenger jets. Thus they could glide longer, because they'd start from an altitude of anywhere between 13 to 16 kilometers up, maybe

They go higher than normal passenger jets. Thus they could glide longer, because they'd start from an altitude of anywhere between 13 to 16 kilometers up, maybe even 20km. There is almost no weather to speak of there, and if so it wouldn't require a sharp turn, because anything reaching up there would be visible from far away. (like a thunderstorm) That's the whole point of so called high-altitude/high-atmospheric platforms as an alternative to low orbiting satellites. (Think stationary blimp with many antennae/transponder on its belly for internet, or something) What are you smoking!?