From: utzoo!decvax!cca!PS@MIT-MC@sri-unix Newsgroups: net.aviation Title: Special VFR in what kind of airspace Article-I.D.: sri-unix.1446 Posted: Tue May 11 22:49:03 1982 Received: Wed May 12 04:28:27 1982 PS@MIT-MC 05/11/82 22:50:00 Re: Special VFR in what kind of airspace To: AVIATION at MIT-AI Well, your friend from New Jersey is WRONG (what, the FAA wrong, this is unheard of: he he..... just try calling Flight Service for a forcast!) >From the Gospel According to J. Lynn Helms: FAR 91.107 Special VFR weather minimums. (a) Except as provided in 91.113, when a person has received an appropriate ATC clearance, the special weather minimums of this section instead of those contained in 91.105 apply to the operation of an aircraft by that person in a CONTROL ZONE under VFR. (b) No person may operate an aircraft in a control zone under VFR except clear of clouds. (c) No person may operate an aircraft (other than a helicopter) in a control zone under VFR unless flight visibility is at least one mile. (d) etc, etc. Now, according to FAR 71.11 and 71.171, CONTROL ZONES extend from the ground to the base of the CONTINENTAL CONTROL AREA (14,500' except within 1,500' of the ground). Now not all Control zones and all Airport Traffic Areas are identical. The ATA is a cylinder 5 sm in radius (from the geographic center of the airport) up to, but not including 3,000' above the airport. Control Zones TEND to be (but not always) 5 sm in radius, but the also contain extentions for aircraft to climb, and remain in controlled airspace. Look at any sectional, and you will see that most Control Zones air not a 5 sm radius circle around the airport. Thus is you're 3000' above a controlled airport, and the visibility is less than 3 miles, you're busting regs if you don't have an IFR or a Special VFR clearance. I hope this clarifies the issue. Pete