As a relative newbie to flying in “weather,” I am impressed when I head off VFR with more-seasoned pilots in haze that would scare me if I was alone. “It’s just haze, with a good 5 miles of visibility,” I am often told. But looking straight ahead through 5 miles of mild haze is indistinguishable to me from a thick, impenetrable wall of haze with less than VFR minimums. Sometimes it’s very, very hard to tell the difference. Sometimes, the difference can be fatal.
I Learned About Flying From That: Asking for Help
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Key Takeaways:
- VFR conditions, especially haze, can be deceptive and quickly lead to inadvertent entry into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) even when reported VFR, posing a significant risk to non-IFR rated pilots.
- When encountering an unexpected and dangerous situation, such as inadvertently entering IMC, immediately declaring an emergency to Air Traffic Control (ATC) is the correct and safest course of action.
- Pilots should not fear reprisal from the FAA or ATC for declaring an emergency; ATC's primary goal is to ensure safety and assist pilots in distress, often without formal repercussions when responsible actions are taken.
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