Aerobatic Flyer,
In your post above you say:
You can safely fly along the coast very low indeed - just watch out for seagulls below 500ft. If the engine fails, slow down, flaps out and land anywhere (if the tide is out!).
This implies that it is OK to fly below 500ft in France…..
The reason I mention this is due to a recent (last weekend!) conversation with one of the FIs at my French club. For the last couple of years I have been here I have thought that the low flying rules in France were similar to those in the UK, ie in France… it is forbidden to fly over any person, vehicle or object at less than 500ft or 150m from it whether over land or sea….
However the FI stated this was not the case and that the rule was no lower than 500ft over land, water or sea at all times….the exception being that Flight Instructors have the right to descend as low as 150ft for PFL training whilst remaining 150m from persons, vehicles or objects etc.
So which is it? If the latter, then flying down the coast below 500ft would be illegal, and we should not recommend it to a visitor, even if I might have done it myself on occasion!
If the former can you point me to the relevant regulation so I can inform my FI that I was right all along.
Regards, SD
