What is the lowest height you are able to fly at above a populated area?

500 feet
Low flying rules in the US An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

What is the lowest altitude you can legally fly over open water?

(c) Over other than congested areas – An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

What is Area minimum altitude?

Area minimum altitude (AMA), sometimes referred to as minimum off-route altitude (MORA) provides minimum obstacle clearance above all obstacles in the area. Normally this means 2000 ft over high terrain or in mountainous areas and 1000 ft otherwise but different figures can be specified by the competent authority.

What is considered low altitude flight?

In aviation (particularly in air navigation), lowest safe altitude (LSALT) is an altitude that is at least 500 feet above any obstacle or terrain within a defined safety buffer region around a particular route that a pilot might fly.

What is emergency safe altitude?

Emergency Safe Altitude (ESA). Altitudes depicted on approach charts which provide at least 1,000 feet of obstacle clearance in nonmountainous areas and 2,000 feet of obstacle clearance in designated mountainous areas within a 100-mile radius of the navigation facility or waypoint used as the ESA center.

How do you find the minimum safe altitude?

MSA is minimum safety altitude and is required to be calculated and noted on your plog. It is the height of ground, rounded up to the next 100ft + 300ft for unmarked objects + 1,000ft safety.

Can I fly below 500ft?

b) The aircraft must not be flown closer than 150 metres (500 feet) to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure except with the permission of the CAA.

Can you fly across Lake Michigan?

These flights cross Lake Michigan, and require a bit more planning than flights over land. There are a couple convenient fix-to-fix routes and airways that take you over Lake Michigan while avoiding its widest segments. One I often get is BAE (Badger) V2 MKG (Muskegon). That’s an easy flight plan.

How far can you fly off the coast?

(a) No person may take off an airplane for a flight over water more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest shore unless that airplane is equipped with a life preserver or an approved flotation means for each occupant of the airplane.

What is the legal altitude for flying over a city?

Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft. (c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas.

Why can you fly so low over cities and towns?

That’s one reason why you can fly so low over highways, roads, and houses during takeoff and landing. If you’re flying over a congested, populated area, the FAA has a relatively strict minimum safe altitude published. Here’s the verbatim language of 91.119 (b):

What is the minimum safe altitude for an airplane in California?

14 CFR 91.119 – Minimum safe altitudes: General. (c)Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

What is the legal height for a drone to fly over cities?

Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft. (c) Over other than congested areas.