Some valid points from all, but I really do hope Total Wa(n*e)r hasn't returned.
As an HWI/EWI/QHTI I agree that the benefit of flying at 50' as opposed to 100' is minimal over most terrain, but those who need to know that sometimes you're glad of any granite/treeline you can get.
Open source suggests that the latest seekers do not mind whether you at 50' as opposed to 100' anyway and Abdul is unlikely to spot you that much earlier, the threat band analysis supports this.
Flying at 50', whilst significantly reducing safety margins and reaction times in the event of a system failure, can offer tactical benefit and should be practiced, but not in my opinion in what could be termed 'transit flying'.
I was appalled to see SH mates on a cross country straight line Nav at 50', planned and flown on a 1/4 mil map. Little regard given to settlements and no reaction time to alot that wasn't marked on the map (and in reality would you blindly fly near settlements in potentially hostile terrain?). Lazy and highly counter productive in my opinion.
There is a time and a place (plenty of it - the plain, exmoor, dartmoor, SW peninsula etc, etc, etc
We can aid ourselves with a well thought out and pragmatic approach, reducing the chance of upset to Maj Farquarharson and his fat black lab AND giving us the most tactically realistic LL training we can.