Title: Low-Altitude Flying Training > U.S. Air Force > Fact Sheet Display
Headings: Low-Altitude Flying Training
Low-Altitude Flying Training
Content: Sharing Low-Altitude Airspace
The military uses some airspace below 10,000 feet for training operations and frequently flies at speeds of more than 250 knots. High speed operations include aircraft intercepts, air-to-air combat, close-air support for ground forces and photo reconnaissance. The mixture of fast military planes and slower civilian aircraft creates obvious low-altitude training safety concerns. Training areas were first assigned to the Air Force in the late 1950s when aircraft were slower, turning patterns were tighter and low-level flying was not considered a useful tactic. Today's technology, both ours and that of potential foes, has taken flight beyond the range and scope for which those original training areas were designed. Charted airspace includes the various types of low-altitude airspace used for military flight activities and is indicated on most aeronautical charts. High speed low-altitude training activities are conducted only in limited, charted airspace. Exceptions are made when absolutely required and are announced in advance. In a world of increasingly sophisticated air defenses, the United States needs to maintain a first-class air force. In combat, many aircraft will operate at altitudes as low as 100 feet and at high airspeeds to defeat ground missile radars and avoid sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, and enemy fighters.