S
AFETY
I
NFORMATION
R
EVISION
:
-
D
ATE
:
12/29/04
P
AGE
:
15
Copyright
2004 Glasair Aviation, LLC Arlington, Washington All rights reserved
Marginal VFR
If you are not instrument rated, do not attempt “VFR on top” or
“Special VFR” flight. Being caught above a solid cloud layer when an
emergency descent is required (or at destination) is an extremely
hazardous position for the VFR pilot. Accepting a clearance out of
certain airport control zones with no minimum ceiling and one mile
visibility, as permitted with “Special VFR,” is a foolish practice for the
VFR pilot.
Avoid areas of low ceilings and restricted visibility unless you are
instrument rated and proficient and have an instrument equipped
airplane. Then proceed with caution and with planned alternates.
Night VFR
When flying VFR at night, in addition to the altitude appropriate for the
direction of flight, pilots should maintain a safe minimum altitude as
dictated by terrain, obstacles such as TV towers or communities in the
area flown. This is especially true in mountainous terrain, where there
is usually very little ground reference. Minimum clearance is 2,000
feet above the highest obstacle en route.
Do not depend on your ability to see obstacles in time to miss them.
Flight on dark nights over sparsely populated country can be the same
as IFR, and must be avoided by inexperienced or non-IFR rated pilots.
Vertigo—Disorientation
Disorientation can occur in a variety of ways. During flight, inner ear
balancing mechanisms are subjected to varied forces not normally