AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 116

P&E

TECHNIQUE

How low can you go?
IFR altitude awareness for VFR pilots
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
116 | AOPA PILOT August 2014

Direct-to is a very
convenient way
to get around,
but don't let that blind you
to the dangers
below.
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. Over open water and sparselypopulated areas, you can't fly closer than
500 feet to any person, boat, vehicle, or
structure. Sound fair?
VFR pilots, you have information on
high terrain and obstacles on sectional,
WAC, and terminal area charts. Maximum
elevation number symbols-represented by

two numerals, one upper case (for thousands of feet) and one lower case (for
hundreds of feet)-are printed within
each grid defined by a latitude and longitude line. The highest elevation anywhere
on these charts, along with its latitude and
longitude coordinates, is published on the
color code elevation legend.
This information is great for knowing
the highest terrain or obstructions, as are
the colorized terrain elevations. It's intuitive and extremely helpful in picking safe
cruising altitudes. But it can be hard to
pinpoint those max elevations to learn if
they'll be factors. Sure, they're somewhere
within the grid or on the chart, but you
have to scout around for them.
Instrument-rated pilots face more,
and more complicated, minimum-altitude
requirements. While these are tailored for
flight on IFR flight plans, they carry relevance to VFR-only pilots as well. Take



AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014
Contents
President’s Position
Letters
Visual Approach
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Flight for a cause
First Look
Giving Back
Aerial Adventures
Pilot Products
Airport Stories
Fly-Outs
News
Test Pilot
Flying Clubs
Pilot Products
AOPA Fly-Ins
Soul-Stirring Airplane
Stand Up and Salute
Big City Seaplanes
Tall Tale That's True
Airlift Provides Lift
Proficiency
Technique
Technique
Frugal Flier
Frugal Flier
Wx Watch
Wx Watch
Avionics
Avionics
Ownership
Ownership
Never Again
Never Again
AOPA Action
AOPA Action
State and Local Action
State and Local Action
AOPA Foundation
AOPA Foundation
Member Services
Member Services
Insurance Services
Insurance Services
Fly by Wire
Fly by Wire
Tips from PIC
Tips from PIC
Pilots
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Visual Approach
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Flight for a cause
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - First Look
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Giving Back
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Aerial Adventures
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Airport Stories
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - D-1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - D-2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Flying Clubs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - AOPA Fly-Ins
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - R-1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - R-2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - R-3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - R-4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Soul-Stirring Airplane
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Stand Up and Salute
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Big City Seaplanes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Tall Tale That's True
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Airlift Provides Lift
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Proficiency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 113
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 114
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 115
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Technique
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 117
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 118
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 119
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Frugal Flier
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 121
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Wx Watch
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 123
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 124
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 125
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 127
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 128
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 129
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Ownership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 131
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 133
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 134
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 135
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 137
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - State and Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 139
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 141
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Member Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 143
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Insurance Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 145
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Tips from PIC
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 148
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 149
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 150
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - 151
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2014 - Cover4
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