Procedures

Low flying CAR157

An aircraft must not fly over:

• any city, town or populous area, at a height lower than 1000 ft or
• any other area at a height lower than 500 ft.

The above does not apply to a helicopter flying at a designated altitude within an access lane, details of which have been published in the AIP or NOTAMs for use by helicopters arriving at or departing from a specified place. In addition, the above does not apply if:

• through stress of weather or any other unavoidable cause it is essential that a lower height be maintained
• the aircraft is engaged in private or aerial work operations, being operations that require low flying, and the owner or operator of the aircraft has received from CASA either a general permit for all flights, or a specific permit for the particular flight, to be made at a lower height while engaged in such operations
• the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in flying training and flies over part of a flying training area in which low flying is authorised by CASA under CAR 141(1)
• the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in a baulked approach procedure, or the practice of such procedure under the supervision of a flight instructor or a check pilot
• the aircraft is flying in the course of actually taking off or landing at an aerodrome
• the pilot of the helicopter is engaged in
  • a search
  • a rescue or
  • dropping supplies in a search and rescue operation
• the helicopter is
  • operated by, or for the purposes of, the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a state or territory and
  • engaged in law enforcement operations or
• the pilot of the helicopter is engaged in an operation which requires the dropping of packages or other articles or substances in accordance with directions issued by CASA.