Climbing On Top

The day of my departure, I had one good sign. The area forecast predicted tops at between 12,000-14,000 feet. Thats a familiar forecast for the time of year, and I find it enjoyable to fly over a cotton-like cloud deck. It was also well within my airplanes capability, and I had a four-place oxygen bottle that had been recently topped off. Looking at the satellite data, Metars and TAFs at my destination, it appeared to be clear on the far end of my route.

Mike Hart

Friday, January 06, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Flying above a cloud deck, whether "VFR over the top" or with an "VFR on top" IFR clearance, requires maintaining VFR conditions and cloud clearances but carries significant risks if weather conditions change or descent options become limited.
Pilots rely on weather products like area forecasts, radar summaries, and Pireps to determine cloud tops, but these predictions can be inaccurate, underscoring the need for caution and contingency planning.
The article strongly warns VFR-only pilots against entering Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) when trapped above clouds, citing high fatality rates for "VFR into IMC" accidents, and advises being IFR-capable and declaring an emergency if facing such a situation.

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Earlier this year, I had business reasons to be in northern Idaho. I live in southern Idaho and prefer flying a direct route that gets me to my destination in two hours and 15 minutes. The day of my departure, however, Airmet Sierra was in effect and the mountains were obscured. I had two options: I could see if I could get on top and fly to the clear areas on the other side of the mountains, or I could take the much longer valley route that would keep me below the ceilings.