Cloud Clearance Requirements

[arnoha]

There a whole lot of, "No, I agree with you and here's why you're wrong!" going on here.

Here's some stuff I hear nearly everyone saying they agree with are true:

1. The rules are there to separate traffic, mostly IFR from VFR.
2. Aircraft separation is necessary for flying safely.
3. Accurate distance from a cloud is usually very difficult to impossible to determine visually, especially at the distances required.

And a reminder: 1 and 3 are not mutually exclusive.

The straw men around here are making me think I might be in a corn field...

 

[JoeFromKS]

First, as stated, the cloud base estimate is only ever an estimate of where the base might be with a normal lapse rate; it is never a guarantee that clouds will be there. It works well as an estimate, though. Here's a current METAR:

DENVER CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, CO, United States - KAPA 151653Z 12006KT 10SM FEW080 SCT095 BKN220 M02/M14 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP098 T10221139

Temp 27F, dp 7F. So, 27-7=20; 20/4=5. So, 5000' agl = scattered clouds at 9500' since the airport is at 5885. 4800' agl if you go Celsius. Even closer to the scattered @ 9500'. Again, it's an ESTIMATE. The original poster seems completely amazed and overwhelmed by clouds, and as a new time pilot should have all sorts of tools in his head for properly thinking about weather, including cloud formation. If he never learned about weather, then I'm gonna hug my CFI this weekend because I've learned a lot from him and never been surprised or unprepared for any weather related situation.

METAR ceilings are AGL.

 

[jordane93]

No one can honestly judge cloud distances with a chit of accuracy.

Agreed.

 

[Shepherd]

Didn't you learn all of this stuff when you got trained? Temp minus dewpoint diveded by (2.5 or 4 depending on scale) for approximate base? TAFs, FAs and prog charts? Use the knowledge you learned before you got your certificate and stay safe!

This is great. If you are stationary and have that information available to you, at the exact time and exact place they measured it..
In the air, that information changes every 10 minutes and every 10 feet in any direction.

 

[flyingriki]

Just don't fly though them, and you'll be fine. Level off at an appropriate cruise altitude before you get to them and monitor your altitude. If the clouds get too close for comfort, descend to the next cruise alt. Those are some of the dumbest rules in the book in my opinion.

As previously mentioned you don't seem to have a clue what those rules are for and provide an excellent example of why forum pilots can be some of the dumbest around.

 

[Cooter]

As previously mentioned you don't seem to have a clue what those rules are for and provide an excellent example of why forum pilots can be some of the dumbest around.

And you don't seem to have a clue about how to interact and discuss an issue you might disagree with. You provide an excellent example of why people despise internet know-it-alls on these forums, and take their knowledge and experience elsewhere.

 

[Herve Marchadier]

This thread is getting fun!

 

[mkosmo]

First, as stated, the cloud base estimate is only ever an estimate of where the base might be with a normal lapse rate; it is never a guarantee that clouds will be there. It works well as an estimate, though. Here's a current METAR:

DENVER CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, CO, United States - KAPA 151653Z 12006KT 10SM FEW080 SCT095 BKN220 M02/M14 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP098 T10221139

Temp 27F, dp 7F. So, 27-7=20; 20/4=5. So, 5000' agl = scattered clouds at 9500' since the airport is at 5885. 4800' agl if you go Celsius. Even closer to the scattered @ 9500'. Again, it's an ESTIMATE. The original poster seems completely amazed and overwhelmed by clouds, and as a new time pilot should have all sorts of tools in his head for properly thinking about weather, including cloud formation. If he never learned about weather, then I'm gonna hug my CFI this weekend because I've learned a lot from him and never been surprised or unprepared for any weather related situation.

METAR is an observation. Clouds and ceilings are not derived from lapse rates. They're derived from bouncing a laser off of the clouds.

 

[flyingriki]

And you don't seem to have a clue about how to interact and discuss an issue you might disagree with. You provide an excellent example of why people despise internet know-it-alls on these forums, and take their knowledge and experience elsewhere.

Hahah as hahaha! Good one, I'm insulted....?
Since, based on the stupid comments about cloud clearance above, your "knowledge and experience" are obviously minimal. Go ahead, take it elsewhere. Advise others poorly....

 

[Cooter]

Hahah as hahaha! Good one, I'm insulted....?
Since, based on the stupid comments about cloud clearance above, your "knowledge and experience" are obviously minimal. Go ahead, take it elsewhere. Advise others poorly....

Only in the fantasy world of internet warriors would my knowledge and experience be considered minimal. You have contributed nothing here.