Editing Visual flight rules (section)

== Low flying rules in the US ==
In the US, FAR Part 91 (specifically 91.119<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.3.10&idno=14 |title=91.119 Minimum Safe Altitudes |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414215518/http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=7a7c1aafb1ed13f92b2f7b6f0e003c70&rgn=div5&view=text&node=14:2.0.1.3.10&idno=14#14:2.0.1.3.10.2.4.10%7CFAR |archive-date=2012-04-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) of the Federal Aviation Regulations controls the minimum safe altitudes by which aircraft can be operated in the [[National Airspace System]].

;"Notwithstanding" rule
:Though specific altitudes are called as noted below - there is an overreaching general requirement to maintain sufficient altitude that if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface can be made.  This may be significantly higher than 500&nbsp;feet or 1,000&nbsp;feet.

;500&nbsp;ft rule
:An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

;1000&nbsp;ft rule
:An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 1,000&nbsp;feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000&nbsp;feet of the aircraft over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons.

Other aircraft, such as helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft, are not required to meet the FAR 91 minimums, so long as their operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface.