Real life examples of SVFR in Class D airspace?
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Real life examples of SVFR in Class D airspace?
I've read a lot of posts on SVFR but can't find an answer to the bit puzzling me.
When would SVFR be used in Class D airspace? As far as I can tell, you can still fly class D VFR at <140knots with 1500m visibility, surface in sight and clear of cloud. The SVFR criteria doesn't seem lower than this?
When would SVFR be used in Class D airspace? As far as I can tell, you can still fly class D VFR at <140knots with 1500m visibility, surface in sight and clear of cloud. The SVFR criteria doesn't seem lower than this?
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The rules (IIRC) in Class D are 5km visibility, 1500m horizontal distance from clouds. Therefore visibility of less than 5km means no VFR therefore SVFR is the way to go.....
Edited to say: the rules you mention were the UK VMC minima and I believe they were harmonised as part of SERA......
Edited to say: the rules you mention were the UK VMC minima and I believe they were harmonised as part of SERA......
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Originally Posted by gerardflyagain
When would SVFR be used in Class D airspace?
For UK SVFR: search for CAP393 Air Navigation: The Order and Regulations and then search Special VFR Flight.
‘Special VFR flight’ means a flight conducted in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules cleared by an air traffic control unit to operate within a control zone in meteorological conditions below Visual Meteorological Conditions;
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I think we got given an SVFR clearance out of Alderney the other day. Anyway, we took off, pointed the way we wanted to go, and flew out of the zone; the only important bit of the clearance so far as I could tell was the "not above".
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VFR in Class D requires a minimum visibility of 5km. So if the vis drops below 5km and you want to fly visually you can only do that on an SVFR clearance.
Under a SERA exemption the CAA allows SVFR to be flown in a fixed wing aircraft in vis down to 1500m as long as you're at 140kts or less, clear of cloud and in sight of the surface. Details here.
However control zones that have designated lanes often have visibility minima greater than 1500m (typically 3km) applying to those lanes, so getting an SVFR clearance doesn't necessarily get you clearance to fly in 1500m vis.
There used to be all sorts of additional complexities about vis for SVFR relating to your licence privileges but as far as I can gather those have all now been swept away by EASA.
Under a SERA exemption the CAA allows SVFR to be flown in a fixed wing aircraft in vis down to 1500m as long as you're at 140kts or less, clear of cloud and in sight of the surface. Details here.
However control zones that have designated lanes often have visibility minima greater than 1500m (typically 3km) applying to those lanes, so getting an SVFR clearance doesn't necessarily get you clearance to fly in 1500m vis.
There used to be all sorts of additional complexities about vis for SVFR relating to your licence privileges but as far as I can gather those have all now been swept away by EASA.
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No, it is still the pilot's responsibility to be able to land without danger to persons or property.
