Agreed, but then again, if flying 400 feet up and 400 feet out, I would be focusing on VLOS not my peripheral vision. Then again, I tend to agree that a 400 foot cap on height may be okay if in a city or rural area. How many manned aircraft have you seen flying that low? I'm guessing that because the FAA gave us this cap of 400 feet that no other aircraft has been given permission to fly lower than 400 feet. So, my guess is... that belongs to us hobbyists. Other sUAS's may be our only concern. Anyone know the existing reg's on other aircraft flying lower than our given height of 400 ft?
Not sure how it is in the USA as you mention the FAA, as for how many manned aircraft at 400ft AGL many, but then ground level is relative to the surroundings, take off for me might be 600ft and if there is no ridge lift i will be searching frantically for something to take me up and could be down to 400 quite soon, then i could be scratching around sustaining that height hoping something comes, i might be unlucky and end in a field below kind of angry with myself, sky could infact have a couple of hundred aircraft fighting for lift including hang gliders, paragliders, sailplanes,
400ft AGL for both hang gliders or sailplanes could be a glide across the forest canopy for a few km using the speed with the best glide angle depending on the wing, that situation might be desperate in dire need of somewhere to land or it could be a forested area in the mountains way up above the 400ft take off,
Not all but most of us have instruments, vario visual and audio, i have 2 digital altimeters, one set at take off the other giving MSL for the air maps, a mechanical altimeter set to read MSL just in case, simple magnetic gimbal compass as used on a sailing boat, many have gps now but i dont bother,
Believe me it can get crowded up there with physical contact including a mix or aircraft all at different speeds fighting for the strongest lift, eventually we spread out and travel, i also see others on the way who started somewhere else, i see some bellow on the way in situations i would never allow myself ... very low and no place to land,
We all have our own limits set, i could say if i get down to 600ft and nothing going up, i call the flight off and searching for a landing, but then i have been know to fly down wind directly at the side of a mountain and flare at the right moment using the energy to kind of stop it, my hope would be to not get it wrong and grasp some vegetation in an attempt not to fall backwards, we call this fly on the wall, with the idea of taking off from there should the conditions change and the lift turns on again,
So yes..infact many of us at 400ft and below for various reasons, including sailplanes who manage final glides for incredible distances at very high speed, the airspace is very busy its just most people dont notice as they never look up unless there is noise,
Edited to add, i feel i have to fly loaded with enough junk as it is and want to keep it too a minimum, i also have to carry everything up to the take off or where i land to the road,
I have a go pro and stopped using that after witnessing my face as i emptied my bladder in the flight suite 3 times in 1 flight.