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Aviation Terms

FAA Part 91 Rules

VFR  Minimums
Cruise Altitudes
Other Rules

Many pilots seem to think VFR flight means, anything goes. You don't have to file a flight plan, you don't have to check in with ATC, and where you go is your own business.

It's not quite that simple. It's true that a VFR flight is largely unmonitored by ATC, but there are still rules of the road you have to worry about. VFR minimums specify the minimum weather conditions needed to safely operate the plane without instruments. And, last but not least, even a VFR pilot must observe air space restrictions. You may have to enter a controlled air space in order to land at your destination airport, or cross one to avoid going a long way around. What this means is that flying VFR carries its own special privileges and responsibilities.

What does VFR mean?

It's an abbreviation for "Visual Flight Rules." What it means is, to operate your plane according to the rules and regulations applicable to visual flight.

Visual flight means, without instruments. You look out the window and guide your aircraft according to what you see there. At its most basic, visual flight means using landmarks to identify your position, and sectional charts to plan your course.

Sectional charts? What are those?

Sectional charts are the basic tools of air navigation. All pilots have at least the sectional charts for the areas they plan to navigate through, and may complement these sectionals with terminal approach plates, enroute navigation charts, and terminal procedure charts.

A sectional chart identifies visually important ground features, such as cities, roads, TV and radio towers, hills, mountains, lakes--basically a combination of the ground topography in the chart's area, plus the marking of all hazards which may threaten a pilot's safe flight.

Flight simulator does not come with sectional charts, and buying sectional charts independently of FS is not necessarily a useful step, and it may be expensive, too. The problem is that Flight Simulator can only recreate some of the ground features that are shown on a sectional chart, and those with some inaccuracies. Only the latest versions of FS are really suitable for serious visual navigation anyway. So, whether you can effectively navigate with visual cues depends on the area you plan to fly in and which version of the simulator you use.

Does that mean we can't do visual navigation?

No. There is still a lot of visual information available in the simulated flight environment, and in well-marked, high detail areas, you can successfully travel a visual flight plan from start to finish using nothing but landmarks and visual observations. But there is another reason why we will use VFR navigation in FS: you can use your radio instruments. In fact, using radio instruments to help navigate during a VFR flight is not unusual.

So what's the difference between VFR flight and IFR?

The difference is what you depend on for guidance. In a VFR flight regime, you may use radio navigation instruments for helpful advice, to make your flight easier, but you don't depend on them. With IFR flight, you have to be able to reliably and safely use instruments to find your way, even when you have no recourse to out-the-window scenery.

This, then, explains the basic difference between VFR and IFR flight: A VFR pilot may use instruments, but is not authorized to rely on them. An IFR pilot is freed from this restriction, and so actually has greater freedom than a VFR pilot.

VFR Minimums

Since VFR flight requires reference to visual information for guidance, a pilot operating under VFR rules is not permitted to place himself or his airplane in a situation where visual guidance is not possible. In other words, he has to stay outside of clouds and avoid flying into areas of severely reduced visibility.

The weather conditions that allow visual flight are called "VMC:" Visual Meteorological Conditions. A VFR pilot may only fly in VMC weather. (The corresponding term for weather conditions that mandate IFR flight is Instrument Meteorological Conditions, or IMC.)

For flight within the United States, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) states:

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and §91.157, no person may operate an aircraft under VFR when the flight visibility is less, or at a distance from clouds that is less, than that prescribed for the corresponding altitude and class of airspace in the following table:

Airspace	Flight visibility	Distance from clouds
Class A	Not Applicable	Not Applicable.
Class B	3 statute miles	Clear of Clouds.
Class C	3 statute miles	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal.
Class D	3 statute miles	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal.
Class E:
Less than 10,000 feet MSL	3 statute miles	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal
At or above 10,000 feet MSL	5 statute miles	1,000 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 1 statute mile horizontal.
Class G:
1,200 feet or less above the surface (regardless of MSL altitude)
Day, except as provided in §91.155(b)	1 statute mile	Clear of clouds.
Night, except as provided in §91.155(b)	3 statute miles	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal.
More than 1,200 feet above the surface but less than 10,000 feet MSL
Day	1 statute mile	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal.
Night	3 statute miles	500 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 2,000 feet horizontal.
More than 1,200 feet above the surface and at or above 10,000 feet MSL	5 statute miles	1,000 feet below. 1,000 feet above. 1 statute mile horizontal.

This is a complicated table. It can be reduced, however, for the sake of simplicity, to three basic rules:

1. You can't fly in Class A airspace, above the transition altitude of 18,000 ft, because by definition only IFR flight is permitted in that airspace.
2. Class B airspace is the space surrounding high-density airports. You cannot fly in such a space without ATC contact, and in such a situation, the ATC controller is helping to watch for dangerous traffic. Therefore, your only responsibility is to maintain a visibility of 3 miles, and stay out of clouds.
3. In all other situations, stay at least 500 ft under any clouds above you; at least 1,000 ft above any clouds under you, and at least 2,000 ft from any clouds beside you.

Class 'G' airspace, in case we've forgotten, is any air space below 18,000 ft which is not otherwise part of an airport controlled airspace.

VFR Cruise Altitudes

Regulations specify that pilots adopt a flight altitude providing for reasonable and safe separation between aircraft which may be on a collision course. This applies to both VFR and IFR flight, but the altitudes available to IFR pilots differ from those VFR pilots may use.

The rule for VFR altitudes is shown in the following figure.

An easterly direction is any heading from 0° to 179° inclusive, including directly north.

A westerly direction is any heading from 180° to 359° inclusive, including directly south.

A VFR aircraft making an easterly ground track will maintain an altitude which is an odd multiple of one thousand feet, plus 500 feet.

A VFR aircraft making a westerly ground track will maintain an altitude which is an even multiple of one thousand feet, plus 500 feet.

Aircraft below 2000 feet are considered local traffic and are exempt from this rule. Aircraft at 18,000 ft or above are in Class A airspace and must maintain contact with ATC. Thus, VFR rules do not apply at and above 18,000 ft.

Other VFR Requirements

In addition to observing weather minimums, VFR pilots must also

1. Load the aircraft with sufficient fuel to fly 30 minutes beyond the time required, considering prevailing winds and directions, to reach the intended arrival airport
2. Load the aircraft with passengers and cargo in a safe manner and not to exceed the aircraft's maximum take-off weight
3. Maintain a VFR cruise altitude
4. Squawk transponder code 1200 while in the air
5. Remain outside all Warning and Restricted air spaces (Red boundaries)
6. Contact appropriate approach control frequency prior to entering an airport control area (Class B, C, or D air space), as marked on the applicable sectional chart
7. On departure, contact ground control or tower prior to taxi
8. On arrival, contact the tower of a controlled airport at least 10 NM from the airport, or at an uncontrolled airport, observe the Uncontrolled Field Procedures
9. Operate green and red navigation lights on the aircraft from 30 minutes before sundown until 30 minutes after sunrise
10. Operate landing lights during and after takeoff, until leaving the airport control area, and during approach and landing, after entering the airport control area
11. Observe all airline addendums to the flight rules.

 

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Questions!

Do I have to use a flight plan with VFR?

No. But if you expect to use GPS navigation, you do, because the GPS instrument directs the plane using the flight plan. Or, if you want FS to maintain the Navigation Log, you do, because the navigation log is recorded against your projected flight plan. You bring up the Navigation Log from the Main Menu with selection FN (Flight | Navigation Log), and it looks like this:

 

How do I create a flight plan?

The short answer is, you go to the Main Menu and choose (Flight | Flight Planner). This brings up a dialog that enables you to build  a flight plan with a minimal knowledge of the subject. For an in-depth discussion of how to use this FS function, you'll have to wait for an article on the subject.

Will I have to use ATC?

No. A flight plan invokes Air Traffic Control only if it is filed as an IFR flight plan.

How do I use a VFR flight plan?

You can ignore it completely if you want to. To use a VFR flight plan with radio navigation, you must tune the NAV1 radio to the station yourself, and adjust the OBS course setting to the HDG value shown in the flight plan for this leg of the flight. Or, you can select GPS navigation (flip the switch to GPS on the panel) and turn on autopilot NAV following (select NAV). Then the autopilot will follow the flight plan automatically, even making the turns for you.

Why does the Tower tell me "Airport is IFR only?"

The weather conditions at the airport are below VFR minimums. Thus, you are not entitled to land there. If you do, you will have violated regulations.

What should I do if the airport refuses landing permission?

In real life, you should have anticipated this possibility. You have considered alternate airports, and have fueled your airplane for at least 30 minutes more of flight than needed to reach your destination. You have three choices: wait for the weather to clear; fly to a nearby airport that has visual conditions, or file an IFR flight plan to land there.

Do I need an IFR rating to file an IFR flight plan?

Yes. This rating appended to your pilot's license certifies that you understand IFR flight procedures and know how to use the equipment.

How can I convert a VFR flight plan to IFR?

This is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Basically, you have to build the flight plan from scratch, choosing IFR instead of VFR. You can activate such a flight plan while in flight, using the ATC menu to request clearance (press `). Be careful, when asked "Do you want Flight Simulator to position your plane...," to choose No, otherwise you'll find yourself sitting on the ramp.