How far can one break the rules

[Orion1969]

Ok I was board today and decided to do a flight from Cuba to Miami Florida. I was implimenting a smuggling operation nad decied to use my HondaJet to do the flight with.

After taking off form Cuba I was over the water and descended to 100 feet off the deck and flew all the way to Miami. As I came with in 40 miles off the coast I ascended to 5000 feet and go my self all legal again for the landing at Miami. My question would be this, According to the regs and my understanding I am legal to fly 100 feet off the deck as long as I am clear of obstacles. I know that flying that low would be very dangerous and maybe illigle but this was just a test to see if the autopilot would hold it at that level and with me zipping along at 300 miles per hour. I got there in 45 minutes. cool.
Will be upload ing shot screen shot soon of the flight.

What do you think?

[Ragtopjohnny]

In real life it would probably not really get very far -

Could be an interesting mission to try and design in FS.....

John Thuot II
A+/Network+

[T18]

i do belive that u r below the Min Allowed Alt for those sectors tho, and would be intercepted when u showed up on radar (i'd suggest staying low and landing in the everglades at a non controled Airport

[ReggieF5421]

If you look at this chart - you will see you were in Warning Areas much of the time. You also have to ask for permission to enter the US ADIZ. The MSA for much of the journey is 400 or 700 feet.

http://www.runwayfinder.com/?loc=EYW

I could almost guarantee that flying at 300 KTS at 100 ft AGL would get you visited by some fighters out of JRB Homestead or NAS Key West. I drove to/ from Key West from Fort Lauderdale a month ago and the blimp was flying both days. There were also P-3 Awacs aircraft flying out of NAS Key West.

Also, at 100 ft AGL - you have to be really careful of ships coming in or out of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the cruise ships going into Key West and through the Florida Straits have passenger desks 100 ft above the water. The Oasis of the Seas is 236 ft / 72M above the water.

Many cargo ships have super structures near 100 feet above the water, especially the big container ships.

[Tim_A]

I'm sure the US Customs & Immigration service are wise to aircraft trying to sneak in below the radar, and it's extremely unlikely you'd get very far into US airspace before being intercepted. Internationally too, it's not legal to fly within 500ft of any person, vessel or structure (which would include ships, oil rigs/platforms, submarines even). So if you allow 200ft for their size, that would give you your 700ft MSA.

Notwithstanding the rules and regs, it's an interesting exercise, and one that used to be regularly performed by WWII bombers, often at night & with no moon. Quite a few planes crashed doing it, too. Although sea conditions don't affect the sim, where the sea is always flat and "at sea level", that isn't true RW, and MSL is just that -- Mean Sea Level, averaged across the whole globe. There is absolutely no guarantee that the surface of the sea will be at 0ft where you are: It's subject to tides, weather conditions and all sorts. Speaking of which, it is essential to be aware of the weather conditions where you are flying. Are you going towards lower or higher pressure? What effect will that have on your altitude? It is very easy to gain or lose 100ft without knowing it (and if you're flying at night and unable to see the surface...)

[fxsttcb]

Coming out of Cuba? IIRC, Boca Chica Field/NAS Key West Hawkeyes were missioned specifically to that area.
The airborne Doppler RADAR is near impossible to defeat, as it has the capability to pick a moving target out of ground clutter/sea return.

I did a few TADs at the "Hot Pad" there. Anything coming north out of Cuban Airspace rang the bell. Back then, the Hot Pad record for "Gong-to-Wheels Up" was 57 seconds. The Pad's Navy/Marine Duty Sqdn. did not generally chase down aircraft identified as civilian and perform escort service. We did aid in tracking suspect planes to their destination. Subsequently the USCG were dispatched and took control of the situation.

To make an incursion like that would be very difficult to perform, without being detected...Don

[bobnewhart]

The truth is that most clandestine operations (legal or not) appear to be something else.
Bottom line is . . . If you look suspicious, you will be watched and targeted.

It does sound like a fun flight, though.

[csefton]

My plan is way better ...rig up some radio controlled full size and detailed looking dolphins...pop-in some gps sat nav tracking and autopilot direction finding hi tech gizmo equipment, stuff em with coke or any other sh*t/drugs u could get ur dirty hands on and then charge the batteries up and set them free to home onto your own private beach in Florida!...then when they arrive (check their progress via their sat nav emitters!) ..just pop out on your motor boat to innocently 'Play' with the 50! lovely dolphins that just showed up 500 yards off your beach!!! lmao! (this part is important to do before your neighbours find them and pinch the loot!!!)....dive with the 100! dolphins!..and at the same time transfer said smuggled hoard to your boat and pop back with your 500 million bucks worth just in time for breakfast!....

then after breakfast go for a nice and legal flight to impress your neighbours with your own personal bell v22 osprey!....easy!....now...where did i put that tom tom!?

[bobnewhart]

Mythbusters can help with the dolphins, and your tom tom is in the same case as your AKs and Uzis.

[tatest]

For that flight profile, IRL, I think you might need to be concerned about a physical response, as well as administrative action. This is one of those places where low level flights are closely watched.

In the simulator, you can do anything you want. In the late 1980's, I remember a few efforts to squeeze between the towers of the WTC (a mission suggested in at least one Flight Simulator Adventures book), not something you would ever really want to try.