Visual Flight Rules (VFR) & Chart Information | Airspace Use | Operations and Safety
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/64/VFR_Guide_2011.pdf
A. Weather minima
VFR flight within Controlled Airspace (Classes C to E Airspace)
At and above FL 100 Below FL 100 At or below 3000ft
8 km flight visibility#
1500m horizontally
from cloud*
1000ft vertically
from cloud*
5 km flight visibility#
1500m horizontally from
cloud*
1000ft vertically from
cloud*
As per below FL
100
.or
Fixed wing aircraft
operating at 140kt or
less: 5 km flight
visibility; Clear of
cloud and in sight of
the surface.
For helicopters: Clear of cloud and in sight of the surface.
# For the purpose of taking off or landing within a Control Zone, the actual meteorological visibility reported by
ATC shall be taken as the flight visibility. (Rule 26 of the UK Air Navigation Order refers).
There is no Class B Airspace in the UK FIR and Class C only exists above FL195. To accommodate VFR and
military autonomous operations above FL 195 Temporary Reserved Areas (TRAs) have been introduced. TRAs
are notified volumes of airspace within which ATS will be provided in accordance with UK Air Traffic Services
Outside Controlled Airspace (ATSOCAS) rules. The dimensions and activation times of these TRAs are detailed in
the UK AIP ENR 5.2.
VFR flight outside Controlled Airspace (Classes F and G Airspace)
At and above FL 100 Below FL 100 At or below 3000ft
8 km flight visibility
1500m horizontally
from cloud
1000ft vertically
from cloud*
5 km flight visibility
1500m horizontally from
cloud
1000ft vertically from
cloud
As per below FL
100
.or
.
Fixed wing aircraft: 5
km flight visibility;
Clear of cloud and in
sight of the surface.
For fixed wing aircraft
operating at 140kt or
less: 1500 m flight
visibility; Clear of
cloud and in sight of
the surface.
For helicopters operating at a speed which, having regard to the visibility, is reasonable:
Clear of cloud and in sight of the surface.