The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a video on maneuvering aircraft at low altitude. Margins of Safety: Low Altitude Maneuvering is the fourth and final ASI video in a series looking at maneuvering.
“Maneuvering an aircraft at low altitude is something pilots do on every flight,” said ASI Senior Vice President George Perry. “While it’s not much different than maneuvering at altitude, there are a number of unique factors to consider which we address in the video.”
Margins of Safety: Low Altitude Maneuvering was made possible by the Tom Davis Fund.
Everything stated here is exactly correct. However there is more! Flying down the river is great if you know the river and every single crossing of power lines and cables. When the sun (light source) is in front of you, you may never see a wire or cable that is easily seen when the sun is behind you. Try to remove a wire or cable with your light weight airplane, not a good bet! Also cell phone towers are all 198 feet as the FAA requires all towers 200 feet to be lighted. Towers are not always that easy to see in certain light. There are many more high tension electric towers today as compared to 20m years ago. And now drones get 400 feet! If you buzz around at random below 500 feet you are asking for it! Low altitude fly arounds are not what they used to be, so tails of the past are not as safe today. So if you are buzzing down the river eyeballing jet skies know your options (landscape) and have enough speed (energy) to pull up to 300-400 feet if the engine quits. Remember, well planned operations usually go well…..impromptu events are the ones that end badly. Don’t think this applies to you? I am a survivor of crop dusting and jet airplane combat…and I don’t mess around. ” Speed is Life!”