For a VFR flight in real life, you do not have to file a flightplan. In our virtual world however, a flightplan should always be filed.
VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules. The pilot must fly and navigate with visual reference to the surface. Due to this, there are certain weather criteria that must be met for a VFR flight to take place.
VFR flights are not permitted in Class A airspace, so there are no criteria.
VFR Flight in Class C, Class D and Class E airspace:
At or above FL100:
- 1,500 meters horizontally away from cloud
- 1,000ft vertically away from cloud
- In flight visibility of at least 8km
Below FL100:
- 1,500 meters horizontally away from cloud
- 1,000ft vertically away from cloud
- In flight visibility of at least 5km
An aircraft is deemed to have complied with the below FL100 restrictions if the aircraft is not a helicopter and:
- it flies at or below 3,000ft amsl
- it flies at a speed which is 140KIAS or less
- remains clear of cloud, with the surface in sight and an in-flight visibility of at least 5km
If it is a helicopter, it is deemed to have complied with the below FL100 restrictions if:
- it flies at or below 3,000ft amsl
- it remains clear of cloud, with the surface in sight and an in-flight visibility of at least 1,500 meters
The following is a transcript of a VFR flight, EP-MGF, a Tecnam P-92JS Echo from Rasht to Mehrabad via the FIR:
EP-MGF:
Rasht, good morning, EP-MGF, A Tecnam P-92JS Echo with Zulu 1004, request taxi for flight to Mehrabad.
OIGG_TWR:
EP-MGF, Rasht, good morning, taxi GB runway 27 via A, Q1004.
EP-MGF:
Taxi GB runway 27 via A, Q1004, MGF.
(The aircraft may request the QFE make sure you have calculated it.)
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Correct, have your clearance.
EP-MGF:
Ready to copy, MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
EP-MGF, Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route xxxxxxxx, Not above FL180, VFR, squawk 7052.
EP-MGF:
Cleared to the southern zone boundary, Route xxxxxxxx, not above FL180, VFR, squawk 7052, EP-MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Correct, call ready for departure.
EP-MGF:
Wilco, MGF.
There are 2 ways to depart a control zone; A random route with a direction or a specified route. A random route may be something as simple as “Cleared to the southern zone boundary with a left turn out”. In this case, the aircraft would turn left after departure and fly towards the southern zone boundary.
A specified route takes an aircraft from the airfield, along a route (which usually follows geographical features such as roads, railways and rivers) to a Visual Reference Point at the edge of the zone boundary.
In the above example, EP-MGF has been cleared to leave the Rasht Control Zone via the route “xxxxxxxx”. If you look at the CTR and CTA chart for Rasht, you can see that the xxxxxxxx route will take the aircraft along the yyyy road to the xxxxxxxx VRP. At that point, the aircraft will leave controlled airspace into the open FIR.
Our flight continues:
EP-MGF:
Rasht Tower, MGF holding point GB runway 27, ready for departure.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, via GB, line up runway 27.
EP-MGF:
Line up runway 27, MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, left turn out, runway 27, cleared for take-off, surface wind 240 degrees 12 knots.
EP-MGF:
Left turn out, cleared for take-off, MGF.
(Always specify the direction of turn after departure for a VFR flight.)
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Contact Tehran Control, 133.400.
EP-MGF:
Tehran Control, 133.400, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
Tehran Control, Good morning, EP-MGF not above FL180, routing xxxxxxxx.
OIIX_CTR:
EP-MGF, Tehran Control, hello, clearance now not above FL160, VFR, report xxxxxxxx.
EP-MGF:
Not above FL160, will report at xxxxxxxx, MGF
—
EP-MGF:
MGF approaching xxxxxxxx.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, roger, leave the zone to the south, zzzzzzzz is 1005.
EP-MGF:
Leave the zone to the south, zzzzzzzz 1005, MGF.
(zzzzzzzz is the Altimeter setting region when outside controlled airspace in the Rasht area.)
EP-MGF:
MGF crossing the southern zone boundary.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, roger.
(Tehran Control provides an enroute flight information service. More details on this can be found under Standard Procedures > FIS.)
—
EP-MGF:
Tehran Control, Hello, EP-MGF.
OIIX_CTR:
EP-MGF, Tehran Control, pass your details.
EP-MGF:
EP-MGF, is a Tecnam P-92JS Echo, Rasht to Mehrabad, not above FL180, VFR, Currently overhead aaaaaaaa tracking south-east bound.
OIIX_CTR:
EP-MGF, Tehran Control, roger, Flight Information Service, zzzzzzzz is 1005.
EP-MGF:
Flight Information service, 1005, MGF.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, Traffic Information, a Twin Squirrel last known to be operating in the vicinity of Qazvin, not above altitude 8000ft, VFR.
EP-MGF:
Roger, we will keep a look out, MGF
—
EP-MGF:
Tehran Control, MGF request weather information for Mehrabad.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, Roger, latest weather is Tango timed 1020Z, would you like me to read it to you?
EP-MGF:
Affirm, MGF.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, Roger, Information Tango, timed 1020Z. Surface wind 260 degrees 8 knots, visibility greater than 10 kilometers. Clouds few at 5200ft. Temperature plus 35, dewpoint plus 22, QNH1007, landing and departing runway 29R.
EP-MGF:
QNH 1007, runway 29R, MGF.
EP-MGF:
Tehran Control, MGF switching to Mehrabad, 119.700.
OIIX_CTR:
MGF, Roger, Service Terminated, goodbye.
EP-MGF:
Service Terminated, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
Mehrabad Approach, EP-MGF.
OIII_APP:
EP-MGF, Mehrabad Approach, pass your message.
EP-MGF:
EP-MGF is a Tecnam P-92JS Echo, inbound to Mehrabad. Current position is 18 miles West of Mehrabad, 6500ft, request pattern entry instructions.
OIII_APP:
EP-MGF, roger, enter the left hand downwind for runway 29R, not above altitude 6,500ft QNH1007, report downwind.
EP-MGF:
Enter Left hand downwind runway 29R, not above altitude 6500ft, QNH1007, will report downwind, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
MGF, Downwind, runway 29R.
OIII_APP:
MGF, Roger, you are Number 2 to a Boeing 747 on a 4 mile final. Caution wake vortex, recommended spacing is 8 miles. Orbit at the end of the downwind leg as necessary, report final.
EP-MGF:
Traffic in sight, will report final, MGF.
EP-MGF:
MGF, Final runway 29R.
OIII_APP:
MGF, Roger, contact Mehrabad Tower, 118.100.
EP-MGF:
118.100, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
Mehrabad Tower, EP-MGF, Final runway 29R to land.
OIII_TWR:
EP-MGF, Mehrabad Tower, runway 29R, cleared to land. Surface wind 260 degrees, 8 knots.
EP-MGF:
Cleared to land, MGF.
—
OIII_TWR:
MGF, Taxi TG Aviation via Alpha.
EP-MGF:
TG Aviation, via Alpha, MGF.
The following is a transcript of a VFR flight, EP-MGF, a Tecnam P-92JS Echo remaining in the circuit at Rasht:
EP-MGF:
Rasht, good morning, EP-MGF, A Tecnam P-92JS Echo with Zulu 1004, request taxi for circuits.
OIGG_TWR:
EP-MGF, Rasht, good morning, taxi GB runway 27 via G, Q1004.
EP-MGF:
Taxi GB runway 27 via G, Q1004, MGF.
(The aircraft may request the QFE, make sure you have calculated it.)
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Correct, have your clearance.
EP-MGF:
Ready to copy, MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
EP-MGF, Circuits to the north, not above altitude 1500ft, squawk 7054.
EP-MGF:
Circuits to the North, not above altitude 1500ft, squawk 7054, MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Correct, call ready for departure.
EP-MGF:
Wilco, MGF
—
EP-MGF:
Rasht Tower, MGF holding point GB runway 27, ready for departure.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, via GB, line up runway 27.
EP-MGF:
Line up runway 27, MGF.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, right turn out, runway 27, cleared for take-off, surface wind 240 degrees 12 knots.
EP-MGF:
Right turn out, cleared for take-off, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
MGF, Right hand downwind runway 27, for touch and go.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Roger, number one runway 27, report final.
EP-MGF:
Report final, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
MGF, Finals.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, Roger, runway 27, cleared touch and go, surface wind 230 degrees 8 knots.
EP-MGF:
Cleared touch and go, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
MGF, right hand downwind runway 27, for a full stop.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, roger, you are number 2 to a Boeing 737 on a 3 mile final, caution wake vortex, recommended spacing is 5 miles, orbit at the end of the downwind leg as necessary, report final.
EP-MGF:
Traffic in sight, will call final, MGF.
—
EP-MGF:
MGF, Final runway 27.
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, roger, runway 27, cleared to land. Surface wind 260 degrees 6 knots.
EP-MGF:
Cleared to land, MGF.
—
OIGG_TWR:
MGF, taxi to the apron via A.
EP-MGF:
Apron via A, MGF.