Jaybird180
Final Approach
Is it VFR legal to pierce through a thin stratus layer that you can see through?
Thin Stratus Layer
- Thread starter Jaybird180
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bluesky74656
Line Up and Wait
Do you have flight visibility of 3 miles? Go for it. Can't see 3 miles in it? Don't.
If it is one of those very thin veils that you can actually see though, not just light through, yes, you can penetrate that.
spinfire
Pre-takeoff checklist
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- Mar 15, 2011
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Dan
I've taken a similar approach to some wispy bits of "pre-cloud" that can form when conditions are not conducive to full blown cumulus production but there is some few/scattered spotty condensation at a particular altitude. If I can see all the way through I am comfortable flying through it and since I can see at least three miles through it it must be legal VFR. Basically the same approach I'd take with an isolated shower reducing visibility. The regs specify certain distances away from "clouds" but don't define cloud nor is there a definition for "cloud" in the definitions section of the FARs. Hopefully my interpretation isn't too out of line.
The spirit of the regs is to make sure you can see an IFR aircraft appearing out of an area of reduced visibility in time to avoid. Let that be your guiding principle.
The spirit of the regs is to make sure you can see an IFR aircraft appearing out of an area of reduced visibility in time to avoid. Let that be your guiding principle.