VFR/SVFR Minima
 

I hope that you fellas don't mind an ATCO posting a question here.....

What is the minimum inflight vis permitted for a PPL (with and without IMC) flying in different classes of airspace?

I know it'll be written down somewhere, but I don't have all the books at home!!

Thanks,

1261

PPL without IMC:

In Class G: 3km minimum
In CAS: 10 km minimum (assessed in flight if you're not landing or taking off at the associated aerodrome and the official met vis if you are!)

PPL with IMC:

In Class G: 1800m for t/o and landing below cloud
In CAS: 3km minimum

Again, this from memory after a poor night's sleep, so apologies for errors. By the way, there was a good article in 'Flyer' this month about the choice of SVFR or VFR in CAS. Worth a read.

Cheers!

eyeinthesky

Close, but you've only considered SVFR.

PPL without IMC:
In Class G: 3km minimum
In CAS under SVFR: 10 km minimum
In CAS under VFR: 5 km minimum (VFR minima apply)

PPL with IMC:
(In any airspace: 1800m for t/o and landing below cloud)
In class D/E/F/G under IFR: no minimum
In CAS under SVFR: 3km minimum
In CAS under VFR: 5 km minimum (VFR minima apply)

Just looked this up on the Web and found 2 slightly differing versions:

Version 1:

In Class A,B,D airspace (or Class F above FL100) at least 1500m horizontally and 1000 feet vertically from cloud with visibility 8Km. In Class F below FL100, VMC has the same cloud minima but a visibility of 5Km.

Version 2:

Distance from clouds 1500 m / 5 km horizontally, 1000 ft vertically Clear of clouds and ground in sight
Visibility (in-flight) 8 km at and above FL 100, 5 km below FL 100

From memory (I've got the relevant AIC printed at home), I believe that Version 1 relates to how it used to be until around 1997 and Version 2 is the current ICAO VMC minima.

The reason for the differences is that the figures quoted in the 2nd and 4th posts reflect licence privileges given in Schedule 8, whilst the figures you quote are VFR minima. The most stringent set of rules always applies.

Aha, that is what I was after, the licence minima.

UK VFR minima can be found in the AIP.

With due respect to Circuit Basher, they don't bear much resemblence to either version 1 or 2! :)

This is my point; I'm well aware of the conditions stipulated in the AIP for VFR flight, what I want to know is: do these tally with the licence privileges of a PPL, or are there a different set of rules governing that?

1261

Have a look in the ANO

ANO

Schedule 8 at the end....

1261,
A PPL with either an Instrument Rating or an IMC rating may fly VFR down to the VFR minima for the class of airspace/altitude/speed which you will be familiar with.

A PPL without either of the above ratings is restricted to higher minima both for VFR and SVFR. I'm sorry I can't recall the exact figures but I think it is 10km in-flight vis for SVFR.

VFR Minima
 

Is it only me that thinks that the entire system for VFR mimima and different types of airspace is completely bonkers?

Why can't we have a simple one line system such as:-

1. I can see my prop but not the windsock - IFR
2. I can see the windsock but its raining - Marginal VFR
3. Someone else is flying - it must be VFR.

Personally I use an even simpler system whereby if I can see out of the windscreen it must be VFR.