I am still broadening my flying horizon/experience so some of this may be second nature to some experienced VFR pilots.. but I have questions that pop into my head which I wanted to get a bit of clarity on.
I flew yesterday and it was:
1) Hot and Sun in front.
2) Hazy
..and according to my assessment with my 'eyes' I thought the viz was around 5k.
Pre-flight planing for a flight in the South East to route via Brighton Marina, Solent and IOW.... All the METARS/TAFS didn't report Haze - which I know according to the definition to be 'dust particules trapped in the air' and smog also trapped below the cloud base which was reported as few at 4,500 feet.
Little or no Wind to disperse said Haze or SMOG.
Assessing horizontal viz with your 'eyes' (in my book) may not be easy to a new-ish pilot? so what I think could be 5000 meters - may be 3000 meters to other pilots - which puts a VFR flight out of minima and potentially 'illegal' according to the rules of the air - depending on airspeed, level etc?
Taking off I noticed it was quite 'hazy' and the sun in my eyes - ground still visible on the surface and London TMA above - so <2,500ft is the only option until near the coast when you can climb to above.
What options do you have when it is really hazy, sunny without the fear of getting trapped in IMC? Do you climb above without really know how far the haze layer is (typical book figures give 100-200ft)?
If you land somewhere in the 'haze' and you are asked for a license do you lose it for flying in said Haze??
(Didn't happen - but I am trying to establish boundaries or 'go or no-go' decision points on the ground from paperwork and flight planning instead of 'going up' etc)
I have attached some pictures taken around the S.E by a PAX - different stages of flight.
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Picture 6
Picture 7
Picture 8
It was busy yesterday and other aircraft were also flying which leads me to believe the viz was okay.
I don't want to 'lose' my license for flying below minima but unless I experience it the first time - I won't know what the second time weather phenomena will look like.. or have any sort of plan to deal with it?
Curious.
Scoobster