What are the general weather minimums required for VFR flight?

The general weather minimums required for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight necessitate a combination of visibility and cloud clearance criteria. Specifically, the requirement of 3 statute miles of visibility along with specified cloud clearances is critical for ensuring that pilots can maintain sufficient visual reference to navigate safely and avoid obstacles.

Under VFR, the cloud clearance requirements typically state that a pilot must remain at least 500 feet below clouds, 1,000 feet above clouds, and 2,000 feet horizontally from any cloud. These parameters are established to provide adequate separation from clouds, allowing pilots to maintain visual contact with the ground and other aircraft in order to navigate effectively.

This combination of visibility and cloud clearance is essential to ensure safety during flight, enabling pilots to make timely decisions about flight paths and avoiding potential hazards. The specified visibility and cloud clearance requirements help to ensure that pilots operating under VFR have sufficient visual reference to continuously assess their flight conditions.