Originally Posted by
Auxtank
I suspect it is clever enough to do that however, because old habits (procedures) die hard perhaps...
Whether Carrier or terrain - allows pilot to ascertain suitability of landing zone for touchdown.
If it were done for the purpose of observing the landing area, then why don’t helicopters do it? As explained at
post 93, the high hover is not an ‘old habit’ but a practical necessity due to downwash. Your diagram conveniently illustrates that with “Minimum Altitude 150 feet until over prepared surface”. Although it should say ‘height’ :-)