How Far Can You See?

Three simple conditions must be met to land from an instrument approach: being in a position to land, having the runway environment in sight, and possessing the required flight visibility. The first requirement is straight-forward and the second is thoroughly articulated in the regs. The third requirement, though, is a little thorny.Unlike commercial operations, which are restricted from conducting approaches with reported weather below minimums, GA pilots can take a peek no matter what the AWOS is blabbering. If you land with reported weather below minimums, an FAA inspector might ask you about the visibility. The answer is simple-you had the required flight visibility. The regulations only require you to have the flight visibility printed on the approach plate. The ol Pilot/Controller glossary defines flight visibility as:

Key Takeaways:

• General Aviation (GA) pilots can attempt instrument approaches in reported weather below minimums, provided they determine they have the required *flight visibility* from the cockpit.
• Pilots assess flight visibility by utilizing runway markings (such as centerlines, aiming points, and touchdown zones) and various approach lighting systems (ALS) as critical distance references.
• Understanding one's position on the glideslope at decision height (DH) or minimum descent height (MDH) is crucial for effectively using these visual cues to confirm the required flight visibility before landing.

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