Why do RAF planes fly so low?

Summary. Military fighter aircraft fly low to the ground for three reasons: surprise, accurate bombing, and to avoid radar detection. NATO air forces changed tactics after the Vietnam War to fly low and avoid radar after many American aircraft were shot down by surface-to-air missiles.



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Fighter pilots fly at speeds of up to 450 knots or more than 500mph and at altitudes as low as 250ft, or in some areas as low as 100ft, as they speed through the loop. Flight operations are guided by weather conditions and the RAF submits a timetable for scheduled training which is published via Government websites.

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Lights on Aircraft These lights are often referred to as anti-collision lights and are located on the bottom of the plane, flashing red or white. Another set of lights to make the aircraft noticeable are position lights, located on each wing.

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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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Indeed shorter flights tend to fly in lower altitude corridors as they are more fuel efficient and quicker to reach cruising altitude.

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Most US military aircraft can exceed 50,000 feet, if they really really try. Again, the limits are classified. Most commercial jetliners cruise somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 feet above mean sea level.

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The biggest reason for flying at higher altitudes lies in fuel efficiency. The thin air creates less drag on the aircraft, which means the plane can use less fuel in order to maintain speed. Less wind resistance, more power, less effort, so to speak.

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An altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. This one is pretty self-explanatory.

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You can fly with any amount of cash. No law prohibits you from bringing any amount of money on a flight. Likewise, TSA has no rules that limit how much money you can bring through security. In other words, TSA has no cash limit per person.

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In order to make the contrast between the brightness outside, and the darkness of the cockpit a bit less, the cockpits were given a bright colour to be less tiresome for the eyes. It's especially useful in cockpits with only a little lightfall from outside, in aircraft like the Tu-128P or MiG-23 and -25.

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