VFR flight in controlled airspace above 1,200 feet AGL and below 10,000 feet MSL requires what minimums?

VFR flight in controlled airspace above 1,200 feet AGL and below 10,000 feet MSL requires what minimums?

• A. 3 miles visibility; 500 feet below or 1,000 feet above the clouds
• B. 5 miles visibility; 2,000 feet below or 3,000 feet above
• C. 1 mile visibility; Clear of clouds
• D. 2 miles visibility; 2,000 feet below or 1,000 feet above

Answer: (A)

In controlled airspace from 1,200 feet AGL up to but not including 10,000 feet MSL, the VFR weather minimums require 3 statute miles of visibility and cloud clearance of 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, and 2,000 feet horizontally from any cloud. So, for a VFR flight in that band, you must have at least 3 miles of visibility and stay clear of clouds with those vertical distances, plus the 2,000-foot horizontal separation. The option that lists 3 miles of visibility and the cloud clearance of 500 feet below and 1,000 feet above matches those essential requirements (the full rule also includes 2,000 feet horizontally, which is implied). The other options propose either too much or too little visibility or incorrect cloud clearance distances, so they don’t align with the standard minimums.

In controlled airspace from 1,200 feet AGL up to but not including 10,000 feet MSL, the VFR weather minimums require 3 statute miles of visibility and cloud clearance of 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above, and 2,000 feet horizontally from any cloud. So, for a VFR flight in that band, you must have at least 3 miles of visibility and stay clear of clouds with those vertical distances, plus the 2,000-foot horizontal separation.

The option that lists 3 miles of visibility and the cloud clearance of 500 feet below and 1,000 feet above matches those essential requirements (the full rule also includes 2,000 feet horizontally, which is implied). The other options propose either too much or too little visibility or incorrect cloud clearance distances, so they don’t align with the standard minimums.