Title: Visual flight rules - Wikipedia
Headings: Visual flight rules
Visual flight rules
Contents
Requirements
Traffic advisories
Pilot certifications
VFR cruising altitude rules in the US and Canada
Low flying rules in the US
"Notwithstanding" rule
500 ft rule
1000 ft rule
Low flying rules in the EU
Controlled visual flight rules
See also
References
External links

Content: or
On a magnetic course of 180-359 degrees shall fly at an even thousand ft MSL altitude +500 feet (e.g., 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500 ft). Low flying rules in the US
In the US, Part 91 (specifically 91.119) of the Federal Aviation Regulations controls the minimum safe altitudes by which aircraft can be operated in the National Airspace System . "Notwithstanding" rule
Though specific altitudes are called as noted below - there is an overreaching general requirement to maintain sufficient altitude that if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface can be made. This may be significantly higher than 500ft or 1,000ft
500 ft rule
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. 1000 ft rule
An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons. Other aircraft, such as helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft, are not required to meet the FAR 91 minimums, so long as their operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface. Low flying rules in the EU
In all EU Member states, the Standardised European Rules of the Air apply: these set out a minimum altitude of 150 m (500 ft) above any obstacle within a radius of 150 m (500 ft), except with permission, or when taking off or landing. If an aircraft is flying over a congested area (town, settlement, etc.)