Division Div 2 - Part 131 (Balloons and Hot Air Airships) Manual of Standards 2024 - 1 Definition of special VFR

Div 21 Definition of special VFR

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Division 2.1 Definition of special VFR

2.01 Special VFR

(1) This section is for paragraph (b) of the definition of special VFR in the CASR Dictionary.

(2) For the definition of special VFR, the VFR in subsection (3) are prescribed.

(3) To operate under the special VFR, the pilot in command must:

(a) be authorised by ATC; and

(b) operate by day; and

(d) maintain flight visibility of at least:

(i) 1 600 m — for a height at or above 500 ft AGL; and

(ii) 100 m — for a height below 500 ft AGL.

Division 2.2 Definition of VMC criteria

2.02 VMC criteria

(1) This section is for paragraph (b) of the definition of VMC criteria in the CASR Dictionary.

(2) VMC criteria means meteorological conditions expressed in terms of the flight visibility and distance from cloud (horizontal and vertical) prescribed in this section.

(3) For Table 2.02 (3), for a class of airspace mentioned in column 1 of an item, at a height mentioned in column 2 of the same item, the VMC criteria are those mentioned in columns 3, 4 and 5 of the same item.

Table 2.02 (3)

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5
Item	Class of airspace	Height	Flight visibility	Distance from cloud	Operational requirements
1	A, B, C, E or G	At or above 10 000 ft AMSL	8 000 m	1 500 m horizontal1 000 ft vertical
2	A, B, C, E or G	Below 10 000 ft AMSL	5 000 m	1 500 m horizontal1 000 ft vertical
3	D	All heights	5 000 m	600 m horizontal1 000 ft vertical above cloud500 ft vertical below cloud
4	G	At or below whichever is the higher of:3 000 ft AMSL; or1 000 ft AGL	5 000 m	Clear of cloud	In sight of ground or water
5	G	Below 1 500 ft above ground or water	5 000 m