What are the FAA requirements for flying over water?

§ 91.509 Survival equipment for overwater operations. (a) No person may take off an airplane for a flight over water more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest shore unless that airplane is equipped with a life preserver or an approved flotation means for each occupant of the airplane.



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Most flights are intended to spend as little time as possible over water, since storms are more common over the ocean than on land. An aircraft would not be safe to fly over the Pacific Ocean due to the stormy weather and frequent lightning strikes that occur there.

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The Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91.119 indicates that, except when necessary for departure or landing, the minimum altitude over urban areas is 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and 500 feet AGL over rural areas.

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The use of seaplanes gradually tapered off after World War II, partially because of the investments in airports during the war but mainly because landplanes were less constrained by weather conditions that could result in sea states being too high to operate seaplanes while landplanes could continue to operate.

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Part 91 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations is a regulation created by the FAA to oversee the operation of a private aircraft. When you own a private jet, you probably need to make sure that your plane, pilot, and flight crew are maintaining the standards set forth in Part 91.

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