1000 agl/amsl

[trousercough]

Microlight flight in Spain restricted to 1000ft agl/amsl
If you had to ensure you flew at 1000ft agl/amsl how would you do this - given that ground is varying from sea level through to mountainous heights

[kharmael]

If you want to fly at or below 1000ft amsl, then fly on QNH and stop climbing when the altimeter reads 1000.

If you want to fly at or below 1000ft agl then (depending on the surrounding terrain) either set QFE and do the same or study a map and work out the height of the terrain, how that would indicate on your altimeter at 1000 ft agl and do your best to remain below.

[RTN11]

You would have to look at a map, find the highest point, add 1000' and that would be the highest altitude you'd be allowed for that leg.

Surely in some places 1000' AMSL would put you into the side of a hill, so obviously you need to be aware how high the terrain is and fly up to 1000' above it.

How closely is this monitored? Is it like 100' high and you're in trouble, or is there some sensible leeway, say 300'? Most microlights I've flown don't exactly have accurate altimeters.

[Johnm]

This usually means 1000 above MSL or GL whichever is the higher.

[Desert185]

You could use the engineering college solution and install a radio altimeter, or you could use the high school solution and use judgment in estimating your height above the terrain.

[riverrock83]

GPS with an "AGL" readout?


However if you don't have a Mode-C transponder then no-one will be able to tell anyway, so don't worry about it.


That's a pretty narrow band between 500ft AGL (as per SERA which is just coming in across Europe) and per the Spanish rules...

[patowalker]

Microlight flight in Spain restricted to 1000ft agl/amsl

That statement is not strictly correct. The rule says "the maximum height of the flight will not be more than 300m above ground or water". So amsl does not come into it.

http://www.aviacionulm.com/archivospdf/orden24.pdf

[xrayalpha]

Of course, if you used a "Spanish" altimeter.......!

To be serious, flying across the USA with a British one, I just read back the inches and carried on!

[patowalker]

I wasn't referring to the units, but to mean sea level. The rule refers to ground and water period, not the average altitude above salt water. :)