Air traffic control tower at night [Credit: Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Special VFR (SVFR) allows private pilots without an instrument rating to enter or exit airports when weather conditions are below standard VFR minimums, specifically requiring at least 1 statute mile ground visibility and the pilot remaining clear of clouds.
Pilots must explicitly request SVFR clearance from the tower, as they are responsible for ensuring they can remain clear of clouds.
SVFR has significant restrictions: at night, an instrument-rated pilot and IFR-equipped aircraft are required, and certain airports prohibit SVFR operations 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.
