Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

3 Answers

Class G Airspace VFR Visibility Less Than IMC?

Asked by: 6697 views , , , ,
Airspace, FAA Regulations

Both Class G VFR visibility requirements below 10,000 ft MSL and 1,200 ft AGL are 1 SM. IMC means having less than 3 SM visibility and/or 1,000 ft ceiling. If conditions in class G airspace below 10,000 ft yield a ceiling greater than 1,000 ft but visibility of 2 SM, would be legal to fly VFR in it, given you meet the cloud clearance requirements?

If "yes," then what's the purpose of the categorized meteorological conditions like VMC and IMC?

 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

3 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Sep 04, 2014

    I have copied the definitions of the terms you are using as listed in the Pilot Controller Glossary. You have to be careful how you use these terms. As you can see,IMC is based on the minimums specified for VMC. IFR flight involves both visual and instrument conditions. For example, except for those qualified to fly Category III approaches, all approaches that result in a landing require a visual portion of the flight from the DA (MDA) to the runway. Circling to land is a visual maneuver and the conditions at the time may be VMC or IMC. At an airport within class G the conditions would have to be VMC because circling visibility minimums have to be 1 SM or greater, the same as VFR in the class G. But the same conditions at a class E, D, C or B airport, they would be IMC. There are many approaches that have high minimums that are above VMC minimums because of the added constraint that the pilot must see the runway environment at the MAP or DA.

    INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES− Rules governing the procedures for conducting instrument flight. Also a term used by pilots and controllers to indicate type of flight plan.

    INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS−Meteorological conditions expressed in
    terms of visibility, distance from cloud, and ceiling less than the minima specified for visual meteorological conditions.

    VFR CONDITIONS− Weather conditions equal to or better than the minimum for flight under visual flight rules.

    VISUAL FLIGHT RULES− Rules that govern the procedures for conducting flight under visual conditions. The term “VFR” is also used in the United States to indicate weather conditions that are equal to or greater than minimum VFR requirements.In addition, it is used by pilots and controllers to indicate type of flight plan.

    VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS−Meteorological conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from cloud, and ceiling equal to or better than specified minima.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Kris Kortokrax on Sep 04, 2014

    IMC is defined in Part 170 as “weather conditions below the prescribed minimums for flight under Visual Flight Rules”.

    If you are in the Class G airspace you describe, IMC would exist when the visibility is less than 1SM, not 3 SM.

    IMC and VMC describe weather conditions. One could file a flight plan under IFR and fly a trip in VMC.

    However, one should not be flying under VFR in IMC.

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. Drew on Sep 04, 2014

    Ah that makes sense… although flying with less than 1 SM visibility seems like a bad idea to start with.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.