Height Above Ground Level ( AGL ) in NOE and low flying generally vary with the aircraft speed , aircraft maneuverability and the ruggedness of the terrain . Helicopters are capable of flying with no more than a few feet of clearance below the helicopter 's skids or wheels . Fast jets are more constrained and at a typical low-flying speed of 450 knots ( 800 km/h ) , 200 feet ( 60 m ) is not unusual and 50 feet ( 15 m ) is possible in relatively flat terrain . Power wires are a danger to all aircraft flying at low level and " wire strikes " are common , such as the Cavalese cable car disaster . Special maps are produced that plot the routes of these wires but these are difficult to keep up-to-date , especially for foreign/enemy countries . Pilots are trained to scan for the pylons or power-poles that support these wires , because they can be seen at a distance where the wires themselves can not
Cavalese cable car disaster
Cavalese cable car disaster (1998)
Nap-of-the-earth