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3 Answers

View the ground while VFR

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FAA Regulations

When flying under VFR, must the pilot maintain visual contact with the ground, or can he/she legally fly above an overcast?

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3 Answers



  1. Nathan Parker on Apr 29, 2011

    Student pilots must maintain visible contact with the ground (61.89(a)), but no one else.

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  2. Gary Moore on Apr 30, 2011

    although – don’t make that decision lightly!  You don’t want to end up trapped above a solid layer…..

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  3. Richard Hages on Apr 30, 2011

    As a private pilot you can definately fly above a layer of clouds, that’s the whole purpose of having VFR cloud clearances above the clouds (generally 1000′) but as gary said, you should definately not take the decision lightly. It’s a really easy way to get stuck without any way out. Just today I was above the clouds with a student VFR and had to come down below them early on our route because they were starting to solidify below us. Just keep an eye on ’em. Check out my flight training blog at http://www.TheArtofFlying.net Thanks!

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