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FLYING IN THE USA
The following information is provided for guidance only, and should not be taken as an authority on aviation procedures.  Check with local AIP for full details. 

Last Update 02Nov07   

Flying in Other Countries Compiled by Steve Pells e-mail to  

 

Flight Schools I use in the US  click for details

Pre-Flight

Freephone 1-800 WX BRIEF before flight for full briefing. Can be updated in flight on 122.0
Similar information and flight planning available on DUATS website (www.duats.com), but telephone call is still required to prove an adequate briefing was obtained.

Recency

Licence Currency BFR within 2 years and valid medical
Day/Night VFR solo none
Day VFR with pax 3 T/O & landings within 90 days. For tailwheel aircraft, landings must be made to a full stop.
Night VFR with pax 3 T/O & landings at night to Full Stop within 90 days
IFR within 6 months, 6 IFR approaches, tracking and holding procedures in an a/c of the class to be used

Documents:  Pilot in Command must have in his possesion on all flights: Licence, Medical & Photo ID. On board must be the Airworthiness certificate, Weight & Balance documents, Registration document & the Pilot's Operating Handbook.

VMC Minima   [back].[top]

Class A:  IFR Only.  VFR not permitted
Class B:  VFR: 3 miles visibility and clear of clouds. Special VFR (SFVR):  1 mile visibility, remain clear of clouds. @
Class C:  General: 3-152†  Pattern (Circuit Flying):  3 miles viz min 1000' ceiling. SFVR: 1 mile viz, remain clear of clouds.
Class D:  General:  3-152† Pattern (Circuit Flying):   3 miles viz min 1000' ceiling. SFVR:  1 mile viz, remain clear of clouds.
Class E:  Surface Area : 3 miles visibility, min 1000' ceiling.    Below 10 000': 3-152†  Above 10 000': 5-111‡.      SFVR:  1 mile visibility, remain clear of clouds.
Class G Day below 1200': 1 mile visibility, clear of clouds.  

Night:  3-152†

More than 1200' above the surface but less than 10 000' MSL:  1-152±
More than 1200' agl AND at or above 10 000' MSL:   5-111‡

NOTE:   SVFR at night requires the pilot to be instrument rated and the a/c to be IFR equipped.

3 statute miles flight visibility, 1000' above, 500' below and 2000' horizontally from cloud.
5 statute miles  flight visibility, 1000' above, 1000' below and 1SM horizontally from cloud
± 1 statute miles flight visibility, 1000' above, 1000' below and 1SM horizontally from cloud.
@ Special VFR is not available at all Class B airports

Fuel Requirements:   [back].[top]

By Day destination + 30 mins reserve
By Night destination + 45 mins reserve
IFR destination + alternate (if reqd) + 45mins reserve

Rules of the Air

Minimum Operating Altitudes:

Except when necessary for take-off and landing, no lower than:

Anywhere An altitude, allowing for a power unit failure, for an emergency landing to be made without undue hazard to persons or property on the ground
Over Congested Areas An altitude of 1000' above the highest obstacle within 2000'
Elsewhere 500' from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure

Airspace System    [back].[top]

Class A: 18 000' to 60 000'
Class B: Of complex design usually extending to between 15 and 30 Nm from the central airfield. Vertically from   sfc to 10 000' agl. Transponder Mode C required within 30Nm of Primary Apt (certain exceptions see FAR91, SFAR62).  Clearance required to enter. VOR Required for IFR ops within Class B Airspace
Class C: Established at busy airfields with tower and approach control.  Two concentric cylinders one above the other.  The lower has  radius 5Nm and is sfc to 1200' agl.  The upper has radius 10Nm  and is generally from 1200' to 4000' agl. Clearance required to enter
Class D: Established at airfields with operational towers.  Usually sfc to about 2500' agl.  Circular, radius variable, but average 4.3 Nm. Two-way comms must be established before entering
Class E: 1200' agl (sometimes 700' or sfc near instrument airports) to 18000'. No Clearance required to enter in VMC conditions
Class F: None in the USA
Class G: Remainder of the airspace - Generally below class E where possible

Airfields    [back].[top]

●Use of CTAF and UNICOM Common.  CTAF should be monitored within 10 Nm of a non-towered field.
●Traffic pattern (circuit) should be joined on a 45-degree angle to the downwind leg
●Clearance to taxi to a departure runway implies clearance to cross all other runways, but not to cross the departure runway

En-Route    [back].[top]

VFR LEVELS (based on Magnetic Track): IFR LEVELS
001-179 deg: odds + 500' (5500', 7500' etc)

Semi-Circular levels apply

180-359 deg: evens + 500' (6500', 8500' etc)

Weather Information:    Flightwatch 122.0

Altimeter Setting

●Transition Altitude is 18 000' throughout the airspace
●Below transition level, altimeter to be set to a station within 100Nm of the a/c

IFR Rules     [back].[top]

●Flight plans mandatory for flights in controlled airspace in IMC.  Can be filed by phone on 1-800 WX BRIEF or via DUATS
●Minimum IFR Fuel - destination + alternate (if required) + 45mins reserve.

●Minimum IFR Altitude - 2000' above highest obstacle within 4nm.

Airport Minimums     [back].[top]

TAKE-OFF: Take off not permitted if visibility less than minima. If no minima given then for singles or twins, then minima is 1sm. Note: Takeoff minima apply only to 135, 121, etc. operators. For part 91 ops, no takeoff minima are established. Pilots must heed obstacle clearance and IFR departure procedures listed on the airport plates, though.
DESTINATION: When making an approach at destination or alternate, standard published minimums apply.  When RVR equipment is u/s, ground visibility may be used instead.  ½ sm viz = 2400' RVR.
ALTERNATE: In order to nominate an airport as an IFR Alternate the following weather minimums or better must be forecast AT your ETA:

Landing Aid Available at Alternate

Alternate Minima
Precision Approach 600 ' Ceiling, visibility 2 sm
Non-Precision Approach 800' Ceiling visibility 2 sm
No IAP at Destination MEA (Minimum En-route altitude) to Landing under basic VFR

An Alternate is NOT required if the destination airfield, from ETA-1 to ETA+1,  has a forecast of at least 3SM viz and 2000' ceiling AND the airfield  has at least one approved IAP.

Holding     [back].[top]

Standard Holding has one-minute legs with turns to the right.  Timing of outbound leg begins when abeam the holding fix.  If the abeam position cannot be determined then timing begins when wings level. One minute inbound legs are standard below 14,000 feet; outbound legs are adjusted to create a one minute inbound.

ALTITUDE HOLDING SPEED
MHA (Mnm holding alt)-6000' MAX 200 KIAS
6001'-14 000' MAX 230 KIAS
Above 14 000' MAX 265 KIAS
Course Reversal Procedures MAX 200 KIAS