VFR REGULATIONS 03 / LEARN · EXPLORE · CHECK
VFR weather minimums
Find the airspace, then place yourself around the cloud.
Your learning goals
- Apply the controlled-airspace picture.
- Recognize the limits and exceptions that affect this flight.
- Explain a decision using the scenario and supporting rule.
The controlled-airspace picture
Airplanes; basic VFR. Class B: 3 statute miles visibility, clear of clouds. Class C and D, and Class E below 10,000 feet MSL: 3-152—3 SM, 1,000 feet above, 500 below, 2,000 horizontal. Class E at or above 10,000 MSL: 5-111—5 SM, 1,000 above, 1,000 below, 1 SM horizontal. C and D keep their own table values; the 10,000-foot change described here is for E.
Class G: read AGL first
| Where / when | Visibility | Cloud separation |
|---|---|---|
| At or below 1,200 AGL · day | 1 SM | Clear of clouds |
| At or below 1,200 AGL · night | 3 SM | 500 below / 1,000 above / 2,000 horizontal (feet) |
| Above 1,200 AGL, below 10,000 MSL · day | 1 SM | 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 feet |
| Same layer · night | 3 SM | 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 feet |
| Above 1,200 AGL AND at/above 10,000 MSL · day or night | 5 SM | 1,000 below / 1,000 above / 1 SM horizontal |
Narrow night-pattern exception: below 1,200 AGL, within ½ mile of the runway in an airport traffic pattern, an airplane may operate clear of clouds with at least 1 SM but less than 3 SM visibility. This is not a cross-country exception.
The airport surface-area check
Within the lateral boundaries of controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport, basic VFR beneath a ceiling requires a ceiling of at least 1,000 feet. Takeoff, landing, or traffic-pattern entry in those surface areas requires at least 3 SM ground visibility, or flight visibility if ground visibility is not reported. Special VFR has separate conditions. §91.155 also treats an aircraft exactly at a Class E base altitude as being in the airspace directly below. Legal minimums are a floor, not a personal safety target.
EXPLORE / APPLY THE RULE
Move around the cloud
Airplane table only. No SVFR or narrow Class G night-pattern exception is applied here. The separate airport surface-area ceiling/visibility checks still apply. Sketch is not to scale.
FLIGHT SCENARIO
What would change your plan?
At 5,500 MSL in Class E, a cloud layer is 800 feet above you. Does that satisfy the vertical cloud-clearance rule?
- NoticeWhat does this situation require?
- VerifyWhat evidence is still missing?
- DecideWhat keeps an option open?
Compare your reasoning
Yes for that one dimension: you are BELOW the cloud, so 500 feet is required. You still need 3 SM flight visibility, the other applicable cloud clearances, and compliance with all other rules.
SUMMARY
Find the airspace, then place yourself around the cloud.
Yes for that one dimension: you are BELOW the cloud, so 500 feet is required. You still need 3 SM flight visibility, the other applicable cloud clearances, and compliance with all other rules.
Before moving on, explain the decision in your own words: what would you verify, and what would make you change the plan?
PRACTICE
Flashcards and knowledge check
Six flashcards, then five questions with explanations.
Enable JavaScript for flashcards and the knowledge check. The lesson and scenario remain available without it.
Sources & lesson notes
Sources & lesson notes
- 14 CFR §91.155Verified against eCFR text current through September 15, 2026.
For U.S. private-pilot airplane study. Rules verified against eCFR text current through September 15, 2026, with linked FAA guidance. Scenarios isolate a rule; actual flight decisions require all applicable rules, aircraft limitations, and current information.