If you're going to cite regulations, let me ask you this: Do you fly up
to cloud base? I'll wager more pilots are guilty of one than the other.

It's easy to lose track of regulatory requirements when deeply involved
in saving the flight but, as others have also said, getting to the point
of executing a low save indicates lapses in judgment further back in the
flight. To take from Nancy Reagan, "Just don't get low."

Having said that, I recall catching a thermal off a pig farm as I was
turning final to land at that farm. The lift was smooth, gentle, and
smelly, but I got away! ...Only to land out later at an airport (still
not at home).

Numbers are for non-thinkers. How does it feel? Turbulence? Wind
drift? Terrain? Narrow or wide area of lift? Airspeed? Coordination?
Any one of these things can cause a really bad day and it's incumbent on
each of us to know what is "safe" for us in a given situation. As Dirty
Harry said, "A man's gotta know his limitations."

Fly safe!

Dan

On 4/2/2016 6:47 AM, N97MT wrote:
As to a clear metric, yes it depends. Rules of thumb need to be carefully evaluated if they match the situation.

One thing that I think we miss in the discussion is that, from a regulatory standpoint, a low save is (again depending on the situation) a potential emergency.

In the US, §91.119 has a very clear metric on this. Unless you are INTENDING to land (or takeoff), you must remain at least 1,000 feet above any obstacle with 2,000 feet horizontal of your position in a congested area. In uncongested areas you must remain 500 feet above the surface, except over "sparsely populated areas" and water surfaces, at least 500 feet away from, essentially, persons or man-made objects.

Sorry I am quoting regulation here, but certainly something as food for thought, and if anything a guide for serial low-savers.


--
Dan, 5J