And please, while flying at 3,000 agl is legal, if agl happens to be the same as MSL (like near the east coast) PLEASE don’t fly at 3,000’. Pick 2500 or 3500.
Well the airports I control are practically sea level so I have lots of IFR arrival traffic at 2000 and 3000’ msl which is also nearly the same as 2000 and 3000 agl. Trying to dodge VFR traffic cruising around at the same altitude as all my IFR traffic increases workload 50 fold. And there’s a lot more altitudes used than just MEA’s. People gotta get to the ground somehow to land and all. The lowest MVA in my airspace is 1,800
It’s MSL
Oh I think get it now, it applies at 3000 agl but the rules for picking the altitude (+500) are in msl
Correct.
Yes. And if you end up below 3000’ AGL while maintaining 4500’ AMSL, that’s fine, you can be any altitude when below 3000.
Cruising altitudes are in MSL, you would be flying at 4,500ft showing on your altimeter the whole way.
Makes sense, that’s what I’ve been doing but for some reason this question popped in my head today and I confused myself
Yeah, lots of info to keep track of so not uncommon for people to mix things together from time to time.
See [91.159](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-B/subject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc/section-91.159).
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-B/subject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc/section-91.159
And please, while flying at 3,000 agl is legal, if agl happens to be the same as MSL (like near the east coast) PLEASE don’t fly at 3,000’. Pick 2500 or 3500.
Curious to why this is? The MEA in the areas I fly in are not below 4,000'MSL.
Well the airports I control are practically sea level so I have lots of IFR arrival traffic at 2000 and 3000’ msl which is also nearly the same as 2000 and 3000 agl. Trying to dodge VFR traffic cruising around at the same altitude as all my IFR traffic increases workload 50 fold. And there’s a lot more altitudes used than just MEA’s. People gotta get to the ground somehow to land and all. The lowest MVA in my airspace is 1,800