FAA Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA)Regulations (14 CFR 61/91)Medium
A pilot plans to operate VFR at night in Class G airspace at 700 feet AGL. According to 14 CFR 91.155, what are the minimum flight visibility and cloud clearance requirements?
- A1 statute mile visibility, 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, 2,000 feet horizontal from clouds
- B3 statute miles visibility, 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, 2,000 feet horizontal from clouds
- C1 statute mile visibility, clear of clouds
- D3 statute miles visibility, clear of clouds
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. 3 statute miles visibility, clear of clouds
Under 91.155, for Class G airspace at or below 1,200 feet AGL during night operations, the minimum weather minimums are 3 statute miles visibility and clear of clouds. The 1-statute-mile/clear-of-clouds minimum applies only during daytime in that same layer.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Mixes the wrong visibility with the wrong cloud clearance figures for this altitude/time combination.
- B. These cloud clearance distances apply above 1,200 ft AGL, not this lower layer.
- C. 1 SM visibility applies to daytime operations in this layer, not night.
VFR Weather Minimums - Class G (91.155)
Class G airspace VFR minimums vary by altitude (above/below 1,200 ft AGL) and time of day (day/night).
- Below 1,200 ft AGL, day: 1 SM, clear of clouds
- Below 1,200 ft AGL, night: 3 SM, clear of clouds
- Above 1,200 ft AGL (below 10,000 MSL): 1 SM day/3 SM night, 500 below/1,000 above/2,000 horizontal
Memory trick: 'Night triples the miles' in Class G below 1,200 ft.