The Not-Quite-VMC Trap

As in the article, many airports are one approach at a time, either due to the nature of the approach, the terrain or radar coverage. In these cases, its considered courteous to cancel IFR as soon as you can so that anybody waiting behind you can begin their approach.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, November 05, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are encouraged to cancel IFR flight plans as soon as visually practical and safe, especially at single-approach airports, to allow following aircraft to begin their approach.
However, it is paramount to ensure you are operating within Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) as defined by 14 CFR 91.155 (e.g., 500 ft below clouds, 2000 ft horizontal, 3 miles visibility) before canceling IFR.
Canceling IFR prematurely, before meeting VMC requirements, means you are still in IMC and must remain on an IFR flight plan, prioritizing legality over courtesy.

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As in the article, many airports are one approach at a time, either due to the nature of the approach, the terrain or radar coverage. In these cases, it’s considered courteous to cancel IFR as soon as you can so that anybody waiting behind you can begin their approach.

To paraphrase a famous quote from Albert Einstein about keeping things simple, you should cancel as soon as possible—but no sooner.