[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":435},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels":3,"learn-nav-\u002Flearn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels":400},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":337,"description":338,"draft":339,"extension":340,"faqs":341,"howTo":351,"keyTakeaways":351,"meta":352,"navigation":353,"path":354,"quiz":355,"seo":382,"series":383,"seriesOrder":329,"sources":384,"stem":397,"topic":398,"__hash__":399},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels.md","VFR weather minima and cruising levels",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":327},"minimark",[9,13,19,24,40,44,57,112,128,132,151,200,212,216,222,234,256,272,276,302,306],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Flying visually is only legal when you can actually see, and the rules turn \"enough to see\" into specific numbers that, frustratingly for the traveller, change as you cross a border.",[14,15,16],"blockquote",{},[10,17,18],{},"This is general educational information, not operational, legal, or regulatory advice. Rules differ by authority and change over time. Always verify against current official sources and follow your operator's approved procedures.",[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"the-icao-baseline","The ICAO baseline",[10,25,26,27,31,32,39],{},"Visual flight depends on the pilot seeing and avoiding terrain, obstacles, and other aircraft, so the rules set a minimum flight visibility and a minimum distance from cloud, together called the ",[28,29,30],"strong",{},"visual meteorological conditions (VMC) minima",". The international baseline is ",[33,34,38],"a",{"href":35,"rel":36},"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.icao.int\u002Fen\u002Fannex-2-rules-of-the-air",[37],"nofollow","ICAO Annex 2 (Rules of the Air)",", which establishes both the VMC minima and the table of cruising levels by direction. Each authority then writes its own figures, and because they differ in both value and units, you must attribute each to its authority and never treat one as universal.",[20,41,43],{"id":42},"vmc-minima-under-easa","VMC minima under EASA",[10,45,46,47,52,53,56],{},"In Europe, the ",[33,48,51],{"href":49,"rel":50},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.easa.europa.eu\u002Fen\u002Fdocument-library\u002Feasy-access-rules\u002Feasy-access-rules-standardised-european-rules-air",[37],"Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA)",", in SERA.5001, set the VMC minima in ",[28,54,55],{},"kilometres and metres",". In summary, and subject to the full table:",[58,59,60,75,84],"ul",{},[61,62,63,66,67,70,71,74],"li",{},[28,64,65],{},"At and above about 3050 m (roughly FL100):"," flight visibility ",[28,68,69],{},"8 km",", and a distance from cloud of ",[28,72,73],{},"1500 m horizontally and 300 m (1000 ft) vertically",".",[61,76,77,66,80,83],{},[28,78,79],{},"Below about 3050 m:",[28,81,82],{},"5 km",", with the same 1500 m and 300 m distances from cloud.",[61,85,86,89,90,93,94,96,97,100,101,104,105,107,108,111],{},[28,87,88],{},"At low level (at or below 900 m \u002F 3000 ft above mean sea level, or 300 m \u002F 1000 ft above terrain, whichever is higher):"," in ",[28,91,92],{},"Classes F and G",", ",[28,95,82],{}," visibility, which may be reduced under defined low-speed conditions, ",[28,98,99],{},"clear of cloud and with the surface in sight","; in ",[28,102,103],{},"Classes A to E",", the same ",[28,106,82],{}," visibility but still ",[28,109,110],{},"1500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically"," from cloud.",[10,113,114,115,121,122,127],{},"The exact bands, the ",[33,116,120],{"href":117,"className":118},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-airspace-classes",[119],"glossary-link","airspace classes"," they apply to, and the reductions are set out in ",[33,123,126],{"href":124,"rel":125},"https:\u002F\u002Fregulatorylibrary.caa.co.uk\u002F923-2012\u002FContent\u002FRegs\u002F01250_SERA5001_VMC_visibility_and_distance_from_cloud_minima.htm",[37],"SERA.5001",", and some States, including the United Kingdom, apply national low-level provisions on top, so read the current table for where you fly.",[20,129,131],{"id":130},"vmc-minima-under-the-faa","VMC minima under the FAA",[10,133,134,135,140,141,144,145,150],{},"In the United States, ",[33,136,139],{"href":137,"rel":138},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-F\u002Fpart-91\u002Fsubpart-B\u002Fsubject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc\u002Fsection-91.155",[37],"14 CFR 91.155"," sets the minima in ",[28,142,143],{},"statute miles and feet",", and they vary by airspace class and altitude. Some headline cases, with the full matrix in the regulation and the ",[33,146,149],{"href":147,"rel":148},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fair_traffic\u002Fpublications\u002Fatpubs\u002Faim_html\u002Fchap3_section_1.html",[37],"FAA AIM Table 3-1-1",":",[58,152,153,166,177,189],{},[61,154,155,158,159,162,163,74],{},[28,156,157],{},"Class B:"," ",[28,160,161],{},"3 statute miles"," visibility and ",[28,164,165],{},"clear of clouds",[61,167,168,158,171,173,174,111],{},[28,169,170],{},"Class C, D and E below 10,000 ft MSL:",[28,172,161],{},", with ",[28,175,176],{},"500 ft below, 1000 ft above, and 2000 ft horizontally",[61,178,179,158,182,185,186,188],{},[28,180,181],{},"Class G, day, at or below 1200 ft above the surface:",[28,183,184],{},"1 statute mile"," and ",[28,187,165],{}," (with different, larger figures at night).",[61,190,191,158,194,173,197,111],{},[28,192,193],{},"At and above 10,000 ft MSL (Class E, and Class G more than 1200 ft above the surface):",[28,195,196],{},"5 statute miles",[28,198,199],{},"1000 ft below, 1000 ft above, and 1 statute mile horizontally",[10,201,202,205,206,211],{},[28,203,204],{},"Class A is instrument flight only",", so there are no ",[33,207,210],{"href":208,"className":209},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-vfr",[119],"VFR"," minima for it. Note how different the structure is from the EASA table: different units, different airspace bands, and a separate night treatment in uncontrolled airspace.",[20,213,215],{"id":214},"vfr-cruising-levels","VFR cruising levels",[10,217,218,219,74],{},"Above a certain height, opposite-direction VFR traffic is kept apart vertically by choosing the cruising level according to the direction of flight, the ",[28,220,221],{},"semicircular rule",[10,223,134,224,229,230,233],{},[33,225,228],{"href":226,"rel":227},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-F\u002Fpart-91\u002Fsubpart-B\u002Fsubject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc\u002Fsection-91.159",[37],"14 CFR 91.159"," requires that, in level cruising flight ",[28,231,232],{},"more than 3000 ft above the surface",", you fly:",[58,235,236,247],{},[61,237,238,239,242,243,246],{},"on a magnetic course of ",[28,240,241],{},"0 to 179 degrees",", an ",[28,244,245],{},"odd thousand plus 500 ft"," (3500, 5500, 7500, and so on);",[61,248,238,249,242,252,255],{},[28,250,251],{},"180 to 359 degrees",[28,253,254],{},"even thousand plus 500 ft"," (4500, 6500, and so on).",[10,257,258,259,185,263,267,268,271],{},"Europe uses the equivalent table in ",[33,260,262],{"href":49,"rel":261},[37],"SERA",[33,264,266],{"href":35,"rel":265},[37],"ICAO Annex 2",", Appendix 3, splitting the same way at the 000 to 179 and 180 to 359 boundary but keyed to magnetic ",[28,269,270],{},"track"," rather than the FAA's magnetic course, and with its own level values; consult SERA Appendix 3 or ICAO Annex 2 Appendix 3 for the exact levels rather than carrying the US figures across.",[20,273,275],{"id":274},"common-pitfalls","Common pitfalls",[58,277,278,284,290,296],{},[61,279,280,283],{},[28,281,282],{},"Mixing the units."," EASA is kilometres and metres; the FAA is statute miles and feet. The numbers look similar and mean different things.",[61,285,286,289],{},[28,287,288],{},"Forgetting that minima depend on airspace and altitude."," \"VFR minima\" is not one number; it changes with the class you are in and how high you are.",[61,291,292,295],{},[28,293,294],{},"Reading \"clear of clouds\" as \"any distance\"."," Class B and low-level Class G allow clear-of-cloud flight, but most controlled airspace below 10,000 ft demands specific separations.",[61,297,298,301],{},[28,299,300],{},"Using magnetic heading, not course, for the cruising rule,"," and remembering it only applies above 3000 ft AGL.",[20,303,305],{"id":304},"in-pilot-efb","In Pilot EFB",[10,307,308,309,158,312,185,317,322,323,326],{},"Pilot EFB shows the ",[28,310,311],{},"decoded",[33,313,316],{"href":314,"className":315},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-metar",[119],"METAR",[33,318,321],{"href":319,"className":320},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-taf",[119],"TAF",", so the reported visibility and cloud are spelled out for you in plain language with the raw text kept alongside. It does ",[28,324,325],{},"not"," decide whether conditions meet the VFR minima for your airspace, and it is not a certified Electronic Flight Bag. It is a study and planning aid: judge the minima against the current regulation for the airspace you will fly in, and brief from your official meteorological source. Saved weather stays readable offline; pulling a fresh observation needs a connection.",{"title":328,"searchDepth":329,"depth":329,"links":330},"",2,[331,332,333,334,335,336],{"id":22,"depth":329,"text":23},{"id":42,"depth":329,"text":43},{"id":130,"depth":329,"text":131},{"id":214,"depth":329,"text":215},{"id":274,"depth":329,"text":275},{"id":304,"depth":329,"text":305},"2026-05-30","The visibility and distance-from-cloud minima for visual flight, and the semicircular cruising-level rule, with the ICAO baseline and the EASA and FAA figures attributed because the units and numbers differ.",false,"md",[342,345,348],{"q":343,"a":344},"What are VFR weather minima?","They are the minimum flight visibility and the minimum distance you must keep from cloud to fly under visual flight rules. ICAO Annex 2 sets the baseline, and the figures depend on the airspace class and the altitude. They differ by authority, so an EASA minimum and an FAA minimum for the same situation are not the same number.",{"q":346,"a":347},"Are EASA and FAA VFR minima the same?","No, and they are not even in the same units. EASA's SERA states visibility in kilometres and distance from cloud in metres, while the FAA's 14 CFR 91.155 uses statute miles and feet. The values and the airspace bands also differ, so always read the minima for the authority and the airspace you are actually flying in.",{"q":349,"a":350},"What are VFR cruising levels and the semicircular rule?","Above a certain height, VFR flights cruise at levels chosen by their direction of travel so that opposite-direction traffic is vertically separated. In the United States, 14 CFR 91.159 requires, above 3,000 ft AGL, an odd thousand plus 500 ft on a magnetic course of 0 to 179 degrees and an even thousand plus 500 ft on 180 to 359 degrees. Europe uses the equivalent table in SERA and ICAO Annex 2.",null,{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels",[356,365,373],{"q":357,"options":358,"answer":363,"explanation":364},"Under the FAA's 14 CFR 91.159, on a magnetic course of 180 to 359 degrees in level cruising flight more than 3000 ft above the surface, which VFR cruising altitude is correct?",[359,360,361,362],"An odd thousand plus 500 ft, such as 3500 or 5500 ft","An even thousand plus 500 ft, such as 4500 or 6500 ft","Any whole thousand, such as 4000 or 6000 ft","An odd thousand, such as 3000 or 5000 ft",1,"On a magnetic course of 180 to 359 degrees, 14 CFR 91.159 requires an even thousand plus 500 ft (4500, 6500, and so on). The odd thousand plus 500 ft applies to courses of 0 to 179 degrees.",{"q":366,"options":367,"answer":363,"explanation":372},"What units does EASA's SERA use for the VMC minima, compared with the FAA?",[368,369,370,371],"Both EASA and the FAA use statute miles and feet","EASA uses kilometres and metres, while the FAA uses statute miles and feet","EASA uses statute miles and feet, while the FAA uses kilometres and metres","Both EASA and the FAA use kilometres and metres","EASA's SERA states the VMC minima in kilometres and metres, while the FAA's 14 CFR 91.155 uses statute miles and feet. The numbers can look similar but mean different things.",{"q":374,"options":375,"answer":380,"explanation":381},"Under the FAA, what is special about Class A airspace with respect to VFR minima?",[376,377,378,379],"Class A is instrument flight only, so there are no VFR minima for it","Class A requires 1 statute mile and clear of clouds","Class A requires 5 statute miles with 1000 ft below and above","Class A requires 3 statute miles and clear of clouds",0,"Class A is instrument flight only, so there are no VFR weather minima for it.",{"title":5,"description":338},"plan-a-vfr-cross-country",[385,387,389,391,393,395],{"label":386,"url":35},"ICAO Annex 2: Rules of the Air",{"label":388,"url":49},"EASA: Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA)",{"label":390,"url":124},"UK CAA: SERA.5001 VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima",{"label":392,"url":137},"FAA 14 CFR 91.155 (Basic VFR weather minimums)",{"label":394,"url":226},"FAA 14 CFR 91.159 (VFR cruising altitude or flight level)",{"label":396,"url":147},"FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, Chapter 3 Section 1 (TBL 3-1-1)","learn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels","Regulations","4ImjXiSWbsWx_TPkP-GyOwd1FFx1OjHQZ6nUWcYbNgo",{"related":401,"newer":422,"older":409,"series":428},[402,409,415],{"path":403,"title":404,"description":405,"date":406,"topic":398,"draft":339,"minutes":407,"series":408,"seriesOrder":329},"\u002Flearn\u002Fflight-time-limitations-explained","Flight time limitations explained","Flight time, duty, flight duty period and rest, explained plainly, with the EASA\u002FUK CAA and FAA limits attributed to each authority. Numbers differ by authority and change, so always check the current rule.","2026-06-14",4,"duty-rest-and-flight-time-limits",{"path":410,"title":411,"description":412,"date":413,"topic":398,"draft":339,"minutes":407,"series":383,"seriesOrder":414},"\u002Flearn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves","Fuel planning and reserves","Why a flight carries more fuel than the trip needs, the ICAO baseline, the FAA VFR and IFR reserve rules, and the EASA fuel-scheme components, each attributed because the numbers differ.","2026-05-29",3,{"path":416,"title":417,"description":418,"date":419,"topic":398,"draft":339,"minutes":420,"series":408,"seriesOrder":421},"\u002Flearn\u002Fstandby-and-reserve-duty","Standby and reserve duty","What standby and reserve mean, how airport standby differs from standby at home, how the FAA handles long-call and short-call reserve, and how standby converts into duty and the flight duty period.","2026-05-24",8,5,{"path":423,"title":424,"description":425,"date":426,"topic":427,"draft":339,"minutes":407,"series":351,"seriesOrder":351},"\u002Flearn\u002Fholding-patterns-explained","Holding patterns explained","The standard holding pattern, how the legs are timed, the three entry procedures, and the maximum holding speeds, with the ICAO and FAA figures attributed because they differ.","2026-05-31","Operations",{"slug":383,"title":429,"part":329,"total":421,"prev":430,"next":409},"Plan a VFR cross-country",{"path":431,"title":432,"description":433,"date":434,"topic":427,"draft":339,"minutes":407,"series":383,"seriesOrder":363},"\u002Flearn\u002Fairspace-classes-explained","Airspace classes explained","The ICAO airspace classes A to G, the service and separation each one provides, and how the US, Europe and the UK implement the same letters differently.","2026-06-04",1781989193266]