VFR (Visual Flight Rules) is one of the two regulations governing all civil flights worldwide. Is the set of regulations which a pilot can fly the airplane by sight. So we cannot fly VFR when the weather conditions do not permit to have the necessary visibility. Specifically, the weather should cover the VFR weather minima (VMCVMCDefinition: Visual Meteorological Conditions...
conditions) that determined by the competent authority in civil aviation. If weather conditions are below VMC, then the pilot must continue to fly with the help of instruments and not by sight.

     A pilot must fly VFR only when he is able to have visual sight with the ground and has visibility that can avoid obstacles and other aircrafts. Also he should have such a distance from the clouds, so that there is sufficient visibility to ensure flight safety.

     On VFR flights , the pilot assumes the responsibility to avoid obstacles and other aircrafts, while generally there are not ATCATCDefinition: Air Traffic Control...
instructions about the course and the altitude of the flight. However, if the area is covered by radar and workload permitting, a pilot may request instructions from ATC, but without being able to help him in the separation with other aircrafts.

     Another rule is the final flight level an airplane can reach and depends on the course it will be flying. So with course from 0 to 179 degrees the altitude of the airplane must be odd thousands + 500 feet while on route 180 to 359 degrees, should be even thousands + 500 feet. In some areas, which there are special VFR maps issued, the pilot should follow specific courses, minimum and maximum altitudes that are marked on these maps.

     According to the regulations applicable in the U.S.A and Europe for VFR flights, a pilot must not fly below 1000 feet from the ground when passing through areas with high concentration of people. In areas where there are no people or over the sea, this limit is 500 feet .

For FlightSimmer.GR
 Giannis Evagelinos