Air traffic control tower at night [Credit: Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Special VFR (SVFR) allows private pilots without an instrument rating to enter or exit an airport under specific conditions.
For day SVFR, ground visibility must be at least 1 statute mile, and the pilot must ensure they can remain clear of clouds, requiring the pilot to initiate the request.
Night SVFR is more restrictive, requiring an instrument-equipped aircraft and a pilot with a current and proficient instrument rating, and some airports prohibit SVFR entirely.
Question: I am a private pilot without an instrument rating. I learned about Special VFR (SVFR) in ground school, but I am wondering if anyone really uses it? Why not just go IFR?
Answer: Special VFR is a way for a person with a private pilot certificate but not an instrument rating to get into or out of an airport.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
