FAR 91.119 doesn't set a fixed altitude floor - it moves based on obstacle height and terrain, and most pilots are flying with an incomplete version of this rule in their heads.
PatternFAR 91.119 sets minimum safe altitudes in four sections that apply simultaneously - understanding each is essential for legal and safe flight.
PatternFAR 91.119 sets the legal floor for how low you can fly: 1,000 ft over congested areas, 500 ft over open country. Here's what it really means.
PatternRadio Hangar explores Ninety-One One Nineteen, the Minimum Safe Altitudes, and Why One Thousand Over Town and Five Hundred Over Open Country Is Really a Rule About Where You Can Put It Down.
PatternFAR 91.119 contains three distinct altitude rules - not one - and knowing which applies to your situation is both a legal and safety requirement.
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