Cessna 182 owner, 330 hrs pilot, fly 3 or 4 times a week.
Usual flight go to a place cruise high descend ,land,
Like to practice short field landings and that was all the fun I was having.(which is fun)
2 weeks ago a friend 7,000 plus hrs told me, go have fun!

Explore ,go lower learn the terrain , fly over river beds, beaches ect,see stuff.
Im starting to do it and having lots of fun, usually 400ft agl, although yesterday low tide and long beach I was cruising at 50ft agl.
Im not zooming a place, just sightseeng and flying more like an LSA or ultralight.

Tips , things to avoid, learn and advice for this kind of flying?
Or is this just plain wrong?

Sounds to me your having fun! The way most flying should be. Just stick with what your comfortable and safe with. Watch out for towers and wires! Not sure if they use them down there, but perhaps you noticed the thread about the MET towers?

And you better be taking pictures/video's and sharing, too

Here is one

On cross country flights I like to go up to around 5,000' ASL if the weather allows. The air is usually smoother and cooler up there and it gives me more landing options in case of engine failure. On shorter local hops I climb to 1,000' AGL to stay legal over built up areas. For a rush I have sometimes flown low (50') over bigger lakes and rivers, but I can land on them in case of engine problems. I wouldn't fly low anywhere there are people who could see you tail number.

I think we need some kind of rule against posting videos of Costa Rica when it is SNOWING outside!!!!

Really Motoadve, looks like fun. What I want to know is if there is a BCP discount on Motorcycle Tours in Costa Rica?

Yes there is a discount!!!!
I would say probably 25% of riders on my tours are pilots, from a WWII buff who ownes a fleet , a P51, Spitfire , B 25, airline pilots, bush pilots,to bussinesman coming in their own private jet.

On Cross country flights I go from 4500 to 8500, then over the coast is not populated and there are big rivers and the beach, I think is the place to play a bit.

Great video and musical accompaniment! Thanx for sharing. It's very beautiful down there at Costa Rica, really great to see flying footage like that.

Tips , things to avoid, learn and advice for this kind of flying?

Watch out for complacency. At first you will treat this type of flying with a great respect for the risks. As you become more comfortable with this kind of flying, you may lose some of that respect. This is typical of all humans and usually what kills pilots. Set personal limits and don't compromise them. Be safe and have fun!

Beautiful countryside Dave... have a !($*% blast !

But IMHO enjoy it 90% not 100%. Have that last 10% of your thoughts and actions always thinking about where, and how, the other shoe is going to drop. None of the beaches in that video looked landable without wrecking the airplane. The jungle certainly didn't look too inviting. You're betting everything on that O-470, take the time to be sure it's kept running safely inside and out. By "out", I mean all the little things in the engine compartment, hoses, fasteners, things rubbing against other things, vibration, safety wire, etc. The O-470 is known to be a great engine and the big pieces usually stay together very well. It's the stupid little crap that can cause it to have a problem in flight... an ignition lead getting worn through against something, or an oil cooler vibrating loose and cracking. Having everything tied down right (right for whatever it is, moving or not able to move), everything padded against abrasion, etc. is as much a part of safety as the rod bolt torque. I've heard stories of steel braid hoses sawing through an engine mount from not being held with an Adel clamp in the right place. Or something else abrading into the oil or fuel lines, will of course cause an unwelcome surprise even with a brand new or overhauled engine.

IMHO safety in your particular case is a different game, because you're not flying over Kansas wheat fields. So you have to incorporate that fact into your mind-set and actions just like the cold weather pilots have different things to worry about than warm weather ops.

Like I said, have a BLAST, know where all the wires and towers are, and always have that last 10% of your mind safety-wired in the "suspicious" position. From the looks of that video, there would be no significant improvement in safety between 10 feet AGL and 1000 feet AGL. Only wires and towers if applicable.

Motoadve, your intuition is serving you well by causing you to question this type of flying. I do this kind of flying occasionally, doing "river runs", following the bends of a river at low altitude. It's fun, but I think a reasonable degree of caution should be encouraged.

Have a ditch plan for wherever you fly low. For example, only fly 50' agl in places where if you're engine died, lost a blade, or whatever, you'd still be able to land somewhere and walk away from it in one piece. If you have to fly at 150' agl in order to get to a particular emergency landing location where you can get it down and walk away, then fly at 150' (or higher). Fly at whatever altitude it takes to get to someplace that you could land safely if you have an engine out. By the looks of that beautiful video, the terrain and environment is fairly hostile for a plane that probably requires at least 400' of landing roll out.

Know your plane's characteristics, practice many engine outs, short field landings, soft field landings. Know your skill level and its limitations. Enjoy your next flight!

One important hazard to be on alert for that I have not heard anyone mention yet is Bird Strikes. A low level bird strike can ruin your day pretty quick. I have admittedly on a number of occasions gone down a large expanse of open lake or river just enjoying the sights and realization of speed.

However, It is prudent to understand your risks and have a plan of where or what you are going to do in the event of trouble. Not all birds are so easily swayed into darting out of the way, especially around/above water. I always limit my exposure of time below a certain altitude and have set my own minimums. It is perfectly legal, but doesn't mean it is exactly safe. It is proven in accident statistics that a certain amount of accidents are attributed to pilots encountering situations out of the normal operating element they are used to.

Approach with caution. Remember that old saying about OLD BOLD pilots.

Thanks.
In Costa Rica we get an inspection every 50 hrs, Im always with the A&P when he works on the plane, its low time with 280hrs since FRM. We try to keep it in top conditions .

I practice engine outs , and always get the same result ,come in too fast, although the airport I practice at has a ravine just before the thershold and sucks you down.But almost 90% I land fast.
When I trained in the Cherokee Warrior I could put it on the numbers at every emergency simulation.
Not with my 182.

Here is an example


Any tips , critisism is welcomed.

motoadve wrote:Here is one

I enjoyed your video of flying the coast line. What procedures do instructors teach there about ditching the plane in that type of flying if there is no beach to land on.
I am land locked in South Dakota but curious.

Speaking of flying low, check out a low flying B-17.

...and what happened to the - "500 feet from people and man made stuff, except when landing - taking off"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgd3o--L ... r_embedded

Film waiver? And 1991.

Oh and back on topic at least here in the states is helicopters, ag ops etc. Everyone has a tendency to be looking out the window down low, but most of the time it's at the ground.

Flying low has always been one of my favorite things to do with my airplane. Whenever I take friends and family for a quick local flight, the big hit is to fly up and down the Knik river at or below treetop level. It is very wide with plenty of gravel bars if the engine suddenly stops and miles of visibility plus 2 awesome glaciers and a lake at the head.

Some tips that I have learned from various sources that I can pass on would be:
1. Always remember that your turning radius and impact force increase exponentially with speed. If you have a sharp bend in the river coming up, slow down. If you think you are going to hit something solid, slow down.
2. If you can't avoid hitting power lines, take them square across the prop, never on the wing or landing gear. Take birds anywhere but the windshield.
3. As much as people say "what if your engine quits", your chances are much higher of hitting a bird or obstacle at this altitude. While you should be aware of potential ditching areas if your engine quits, you should keep most of your attention on that flock of seagulls sitting in the trees. Birds will typically dive rather than climb so if possible, pass birds from above.
4. Be aware that someone else might have the same passion for low flight, so stick to the right side of the valley whenever possible.
5. Learn and practice the "canyon turn" just in case you find the terrain out climbing you.

That looks like a helluva rush! I have never tried that low, but have wanted to. I would love to fly the Colorado River, here in central TX. I have seen a pair of Cubs doing it, an it looked like a lot of fun. I had to settle for catching White Bass. 

Here's the ad they filmed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlFD0Zyl ... re=related

Many dangers down there, watch out. If you are over glassy water don't fly into it.
Know your operational environment and be aware of changes in it.

Beautiful country... Great flying.