As a relative newbie to flying in “weather,” I am impressed when I fly along VFR with more seasoned pilots in haze that would scare me if I were alone. “It’s just haze, with a good 5 miles of visibility,” I am often told. But looking straight ahead through 10 miles of mild haze is indistinguishable to me from a thick, impenetrable wall of haze with less than VFR minimums. Sometimes it’s very, very hard to tell the difference. Sometimes, the difference can be fatal.
I Learned About Flying From That: Asking For Help
Key Takeaways:
- A VFR pilot can easily misjudge visibility in haze, leading to inadvertent and dangerous entry into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
- When unexpectedly in IMC, immediately declaring an emergency to Air Traffic Control (ATC) is the correct and safest course of action.
- ATC prioritizes pilot safety during emergencies and will provide assistance without immediate penalty or extensive paperwork, often without any official repercussion.
- Pilots should not let the fear of FAA reprisal deter them from declaring an emergency; staying alive is the primary goal.
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