What is the minimum safe altitude required for a pilot to operate an aircraft over congested areas?


What is the minimum safe altitude required for a pilot to operate an aircraft over congested areas? § 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General. (b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.


What is the minimum height above which all aircraft should fly?

The Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91.119 indicates that, except when necessary for departure or landing, the minimum altitude over urban areas is 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and 500 feet AGL over rural areas.


What is the minimum safety altitude for aircraft?

(c) Over other than congested areas. 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.


What does the FAA consider a congested area?

If there is a group of people on the ramp watching airplanes, the FAA has considered that group to make the area “congested.” That triggers the clearance distances of 14 CFR 91.119(b).


At what altitude does it become mandatory for all occupants of an aircraft to use oxygen?

FAA Supplemental Oxygen Requirements The oxygen requirements for aviation say that supplemental oxygen for pilots is always required when flying at cabin pressure altitudes of 14,000 feet and higher. Passengers must be offered oxygen at 15,000 feet.


Can you fly experimental aircraft over congested areas?

1 § 91.319 (c) is specifically related to the operating limitations on experimental aircraft: (c) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator in special operating limitations, no person may operate an aircraft that has an experimental certificate over a densely populated area or in a congested airway.


What is the minimum obstacle clearance altitude?

MINIMUM OBSTRUCTION CLEARANCE ALTITUDE (MOCA)- The lowest published altitude in effect between radio fixes on VOR airways, off-airway routes, or route segments which meets obstacle clearance requirements for the entire route segment and which assures acceptable navigational signal coverage only within 25 statute (22 ...


What is the standard obstacle clearance?

The required obstacle clearance is 1000 feet in non-mountainous terrain and 2000 feet in designated mountainous areas. The extra clearance over mountains is because of the Bernoulli effect as air flows over the mountains.


What is the minimum obstacle clearance altitude VFR?

VISUAL FLIGHT RULES Internationally, a pilot is required to stay more than 1000 feet above any obstacles in a “congested area” or above any large collection of people. Over uncongested areas, he or she must stay more than 500 feet above the ground.


Can I fly while congested?

Our goal is to keep you well informed about this problem so that you may avoid the discomfort that is associated with it. PLEASE NOTE: You should avoid flying if your nose is congested from a cold or allergies.


What is FAA pattern altitude?

The traffic pattern altitude is usually 1,000 feet above the elevation of the airport surface. The use of a common altitude at a given airport is the key factor in minimizing the risk of collisions at airports without operating control towers.