Commonwealth Numbered Regulations

1988 NO. 158 CIVIL AVIATION REGULATIONS - REG 157

157. (1) An aircraft shall not fly over any city or town or other populous
area except at such a height that the aircraft could land outside the city,
town or populous area, in the event of the means of propulsion failing through
any cause, or, if it is an aeroplane with more than one engine, at such a
height that it could land outside the city, town or populous area, in the
event of one of its engines failing.

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of subregulation (1), an aircraft
shall not fly over:

   (a)  any city, town or populous area, at a lower height than 1,500 feet; or

   (b)  any other area at a lower height than 500 feet.

(3) A height specified in subregulation (2) is the height above the highest
point of the terrain, or any obstacle thereon, within a radius of 600 metres
of a line extending vertically below the aircraft.

(4) The provisions of subregulations (1) and (2) shall not apply if:

   (a)  through stress of weather or any other unavoidable cause it is
        essential that a lower height be maintained;

   (b)  the aircraft is engaged in private operations or aerial work
        operations, being operations that require low flying, and the owner or
        operator of the aircraft has received from the Authority either a
        general permit for all flights or a specific permit for the particular
        flight to be made at a lower height while engaged in such operations;

   (c)  the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in flying training and flies over
        a part of a flying training area in respect of which low flying is
        authorised by the Authority under subregulation 141 (1);

   (d)  the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in a baulked approach procedure,
        or the practice of such procedure under the supervision of a flight
        instructor or a check pilot;

   (e)  the aircraft is flying in the course of actually taking-off or landing
        at an aerodrome; or

   (f)  the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in a search and rescue operation
        and is either engaged in a search or is dropping supplies in relation
        to such an operation.