Planning algorithms have applications in many fields such as robotics, logistics, and more.Planning for terrain following flights can be to utilize features of the terrain to minimizethe risk of detection. The similar problem of terrain avoidance is applicable to planningthe movement for survey or search vehicles, where low and fixed altitude may be important.Common problems that arise when planning for terrain following flights is that the dynamics ofthe vehicle are difficult to model, the state space is only represented in an approximate mannerand detailed calculations of the subject are computationally expensive. This work presents aplanning algorithm for the vertical component of terrain following flight paths using methods ofenergy, where the path itself is modelled as an elastic band deformed by virtual forces to followthe terrain. Using linear internal equations of motion for the elastic band, the computationalcomplexity can be kept low. Similar ideas have been used for planning algorithms in otherworks, but novel to the method presented here is that complicated limitations to the dynamicsof the vehicle can be treated in an effective manner. This is achieved by an adaptive linearcombination of different models for the internal elastic forces.