Title: Technique: How low can you go? - AOPA
Headings: Technique: How low can you go?
Technique: How low can you go?
IFR altitude awareness for VFR pilots
Thomas A. Horne
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Content: August 5, 2014 By Thomas A. Horne
“Altitude is your friend.” That’s probably what all instructors drum into the heads of their students—especially those working toward the private pilot certificate. Typically, the context is that of an engine failure. Sure, more altitude gives you more time and distance to glide to safer landing sites should an engine quit. And this is sound, if overly generalized, advice. There are plenty of other reasons why altitude awareness is key to sound decision-making, and there are plenty of regulatory guidelines to help give you a more focused altitude mindset. Most of the altitude-related rules amount to common sense. For example, there’s the rule that says you must always be at an altitude that allows for an emergency landing without causing “undue harm” to people or property below (FAR 91.119)—except when taking off or landing. The same rule says that in congested areas you must stay at least 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a 2,000-foot radius of your airplane’s position. In non-congested areas, you must stay 500 feet above the surface.