{"id":1322,"date":"2017-01-25T23:38:28","date_gmt":"2017-01-26T04:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=1322"},"modified":"2017-01-25T23:38:29","modified_gmt":"2017-01-26T04:38:29","slug":"what-altitude-is-safe-enough-to-overfly-a-conflict-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/what-altitude-is-safe-enough-to-overfly-a-conflict-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"What altitude is ‘safe enough’ to overfly a Conflict Zone?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most conflict zone\u00a0guidance from Aviation Authorities is based on\u00a0the risk posed by MANPADS<\/a> \u2013 Man Portable Air Defence Systems, or more\u00a0descriptively \u2013 Shoulder Launched Surface to Air Missiles (SAMS).<\/p>\n

Large-Unit\u00a0SAM<\/a><\/strong> attacks on aircraft are uncommon \u2013 MH17, removed from the sky by a Russian-made Buk missile, was the first aircraft to be shot down by a large SAM unit since a Siberia Airlines Tupolev<\/a>\u00a0in 2001. These large units \u2013 requiring a radar system as part of the mechanism \u2013 have never been used by terrorists. Almost all incidences involving large-unit SAMs have involved misidentification. There is no safe altitude from a large SAM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

MANPADS<\/strong>, on the other hand, represent a greater threat to aircraft in 2017. These shoulder-launched systems are very portable, and far more likely to fall into the wrong hands. Common ranges are in the 10,000 \u2013 15,000 ft range. The most dangerous is the FIM-92 Stinger<\/a>, which has an operational ceiling of 26,000 ft (and there is concern<\/a> that these have reached anti-government rebels in Syria)<\/p>\n

The\u00a0internationally promulgated\u00a0standard safe altitude for overflight has now become about\u00a025,000 ft AGL<\/strong>. Most CAA\/State guidance is issued based on this number. There are two important points for aircraft operators to note:<\/p>\n