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 when weather conditions are below standard VFR minimums.
During the day, pilots must request SVFR, and the airport must have at least 1 statute mile ground visibility, with the pilot confident of remaining clear of clouds.
At night, SVFR requires an instrument-equipped aircraft and an instrument-rated pilot who is current and proficient.
SVFR is not permitted at all airports; specific prohibited locations are listed in FAR 91, Appendix D, Section 3.
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.
