Flying Fires -- Fog, Smoke, and VFR or IFR: VFR, I can see

Look at the term, visual flight rules (VFR), it means that pilots can see when minimum visibility requirements are met. These minimum visibility requirements (visual meteorological conditions) -- visibility, distance from clouds, ceiling -- vary by the class of airspace you are flying through.

I have read enough materials geared for student pilots to know that all pilots begin by flying under VFR. When pilots first obtain their private pilot's certificate, or sports pilots certificate they are restricted to flying under VFR. Some where along the line, I learned about "see and avoid". This means a pilot flying under VFR pays very little attention to the instruments in his/her plane. Rather they are constantly keeping their eyes focused on what is ahead. For example, you see another aircraft and avoid. Before flying you plan your route, looking at sectional maps where obstructions are mapped along with their height and plan to maintain a minimum required height above the obstruction (tall buildings, antennas, mountains, utility wires, etc.).

You may still be navigating using radio beacons or NavAids, but you can see. For example, charts used by VFR pilots in their flight planning may include charts depicting visual approaches to their destination airport. These charts will include a map and notations such as follow Route 3 (westbound) to Giants Stadium (west of NYC) where you turn north to make your visual approach to runway 1 at Teterboro NJ. Go here to download the chart, Cedar Grove Visual Rnwy 1, that I just described

Just about all planes that VFR pilots use have radio equipment. VFR pilots may be in contact with air traffic control, and when they are they are still seeing and avoiding.

Part of pre-flight planning is checking out weather forecasts to see if weather conditions will allow for VFR conditions along your planned route. Pre-flight planning also involves selecting alternate airports in case weather conditions at your primary airport do not allow for VFR landings. Of course, fog, clouds, etc. create conditions where VFR flight is not possible. These conditions are known as instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) because meteorological conditions -- visibility, ceiling, distance to clouds, etc. -- are below minima for visual meteorological conditions (VMC). IMC, even if there is no precipitation, will ground a VFR pilot. A pilot flying under VFR entering into IMC conditions can not see, meaning that pilots can not see obstructions in their flight path. This can have fatal consequences.

A pilot flying VFR must be flying in VMC in order to see.

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Note (added July 2012): I'd like to thank a couple of my tanker pilot friends whom I corresponded with as I was preparing the articles in this series for their time and help. Here is a complete list of articles in this series with hyperlinks:

1. Introduction (Jan 4)
2. VFR, I can see (Jan 6)
3. IFR, I can't see but I have instruments (Jan 8)
4. Fog (Jan 11)
5. Inversions (Jan 12)
6. Flying fires: VFR or IFR? (Jan 13)
7. Reflections (Jan 18)