Why I cannot fly through clouds

[docmirror]

Exactly - I'm not seeing any 3/4-mile across "holes" there, which is the minimum you need to not bust mins (in the most likely airspace requirements we're talking about, 2,000' lateral).

Depends on your vertical rate of descent and flight profile. I could go down between those in a spin no prob.

 

[N801BH]

Not if you're within 2,500 AGL...

That saves my bacon every time.... I am usually 50' agl.......

 

[MAKG1]

Not if you're within 2,500 AGL...

That's 1200 AGL, and only in Class G.

Believe it or not, there is Class E at less than 1200 AGL and above 10,000 MSL. The airspace above KLXV, for instance, is Class E down to 700 AGL.

 

[N801BH]

Umm, that's 1000/1000/1 SM, plus 5 SM vis instead of the usual 3.

Hmmmmm.. I didn't know that...

 

[paflyer]

Just for fun....

Why can't I, as a VFR pilot, climb or descend through a "few" or scattered layer? In other words, what's punching through one poofy cloud on a blue sky day going to hurt?

(no I have not nor am I planning on this, mr serious)

Someone will be along shortly with the FAR section number...

 

[evapilotaz]

Is this a question or a declaration?

Declaration before someone corrects me.

 

[evapilotaz]

so the entire conversation with your wife was pointless. Why did you even bring it up?

Wasn't pointless. We were looking at the clouds and I said I cannot fly through those.

 

[evapilotaz]

Ok today I did fly in IMC and punch through clouds on south west airlines. What Mir said it was a perfect day for IFR pilots. The real reason of this thread i thought it was a funny conversation with my wife thinking I can get an IR in a weekend. She thought it was stupid requirement. Little does she know about flying.

Oh for me to get instrument rated would be wasted money. I fly day vfr only pleasure sight seeing flights. The last time I flown at night was during ppl training. I hated night flying

 

[poadeleted20]

Dude--she just gave you a blank check and all the approval you need! Go call one of the 10-day places and knock the rating out!

800-I-FLY-IFR is an easy number to remember for this purpose. But seriously, you'd better have about $10K budgeted for the full 10-day program including all fees, expenses, and aircraft costs.

 

[Dav8or]

I assume because of a combination of collision avoidance and the likelihood that people would abuse the privilege and do full on IFR flight instead of just popping through the edge of a cloud to get clear of the cloud layer.

And to be clear I'm talking about conditions like this or better where you can clearly see around the cloud, it's just hard to find a hole that will keep your separation rules intact.

Dear God, NO!!!! Don't go through those clouds!! You'll kill yourself and likely take someone with you!!

 

[Dav8or]

Wasn't pointless. We were looking at the clouds and I said I cannot fly through those.

The best way to help your wife understand is to show her. Have her cover her eyes and then make some gentle banking, climbing and descending maneuvers and then before uncovering her eyes, ask her which way the plane is going. She will likely be very wrong. I would ask your old CFI how they do it to really do a good job.

When she experiences the phenomenon of spacial disorientation for herself, she will understand the basis of the IR. Why it takes so long and costs so much is a different story.

 

[Jeff Oslick]

Dear God, NO!!!! Don't go through those clouds!! You'll kill yourself and likely take someone with you!!

You won't. Not the first time. But then you get cocky about it and descend through a 6/8 broken layer. Then the little hole in the 7/8 overcast. It is a slippery slope that leads to complacency.

Anyone whose flown in significant IMC with any regularity sees guys flying VFR illegal through stuff like this frequently enough. And flying IFR, you might be in level flight flying through the bases and the guy punching through the hole will never see you until it's too late.

 

[sferguson524]

You won't. Not the first time. But then you get cocky about it and descend through a 6/8 broken layer. Then the little hole in the 7/8 overcast. It is a slippery slope that leads to complacency.

Anyone whose flown in significant IMC with any regularity sees guys flying VFR illegal through stuff like this frequently enough. And flying IFR, you might be in level flight flying through the bases and the guy punching through the hole will never see you until it's too late.

Getting the call from ATC that there is traffic at your altitude that they aren't talking to, when you're in the clouds can be a suck the seat cushion into your tailpipe kind of moment.