FAR 91.119, 91.155, and 91.159 govern where VFR pilots can legally fly - and the two-thousand-foot horizontal clearance rule in congested areas is the number most pilots get wrong.
TowerFAR 91.159's east-is-odd rule sets VFR cruising altitudes by magnetic course, keeping opposing traffic 1,000 feet apart above 3,000 AGL.
PatternFAR 91.159's hemispheric rule keeps VFR traffic separated by altitude - here's how 'east is odd' works and why it matters.
PatternFAR 91.159 explained: fly odd-plus-500 eastbound, even-plus-500 westbound above 3,000 AGL to stay separated from oncoming VFR traffic.
Pattern