There is no good and valid reason that the 500' turn should be law. It should be a standard procedure, not law. There are times when it is not suitable.
When you are flying out bush (and I mean right out bush, not an ALA used by flying schools in farmland) and operating in a single with nowhere safe to forced land except the runway clearing behind you, take off and begin a climbing turn. This reduces the time you won't be able to make it around the 180 to land.
Is this legal? Probably not, but turning below 500' is sometimes safer. For some reason Australian aviation has incredibly restrictive laws (as opposed to procedures). Sadly this is to the detriment of safety and operation.
Last edited by compressor stall; 1st Jan 2006 at 13:51.