Flight Visibility

Flight visibility is the average forward horizontal distance from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day, and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night.

Flight Visibility vs. Ground Visibility

Flight visibility is what the pilot can see from the aircraft. Ground visibility is what is reported by a weather observer at the aerodrome. The two can differ significantly: ground visibility may be restricted by fog while flight visibility at altitude is unrestricted, or ground visibility may be good while smoke or haze at altitude significantly reduces flight visibility.

Responsibility

The pilot-in-command is responsible for determining that flight visibility meets the minimum requirements for the type of operation. In VFR flight, if flight visibility drops below minimums, the pilot must either climb, descend, or divert to find conditions that meet the required minimums.

Related Terms

See also: Visibility, Ground Visibility, Prevailing Visibility.