Regulation Text
(a) Except as provided in appendix D, section 3, of this part, special VFR operations may be conducted under the weather minimums and requirements of this section, instead of those contained in § 91.155, below 10,000 feet MSL within the airspace contained by the upward extension of the lateral boundaries of the controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport.
(b) Special VFR operations may only be conducted—
(1) With an ATC clearance;
(2) Clear of clouds;
(3) Except for helicopters, when flight visibility is at least 1 statute mile; and
(4) Except for helicopters, between sunrise and sunset (or in Alaska, when the sun is 6 degrees or less below the horizon) unless—
(i) The person being granted the ATC clearance meets the applicable requirements for instrument flight under part 61 of this chapter; and
(ii) The aircraft is equipped as required in § 91.205(d).
(c) No person may take off or land an aircraft (other than a helicopter) under special VFR—
(1) Unless ground visibility is at least 1 statute mile; or
(2) If ground visibility is not reported, unless flight visibility is at least 1 statute mile. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term flight visibility includes the visibility from the cockpit of an aircraft in takeoff position if:
(i) The flight is conducted under this part 91; and
(ii) The airport at which the aircraft is located is a satellite airport that does not have weather reporting capabilities.
(d) The determination of visibility by a pilot in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this section is not an official weather report or an official ground visibility report.
[Amdt. 91-235, 58 FR 51968, Oct. 5, 1993, as amended by Amdt. 91-247, 60 FR 66874, Dec. 27, 1995; Amdt. 91-262, 65 FR 16116, Mar. 24, 2000; Docket FAA-2022-1355, Amdt. 91-366, 87 FR 75846, Dec. 9, 2022]
Research Notes
Section 91.157 — Special VFR — allows VFR operations in controlled airspace surface areas with reduced weather minimums, provided an ATC clearance is obtained. SVFR is a useful tool when basic VFR minimums aren't met but conditions are still safely flyable.
What SVFR allows: Operations in a Class B, C, D, or E surface area with: (1) visibility of at least 1 SM (or 1 SM ground visibility for takeoffs from controlled airports); (2) clear of clouds. NO specific cloud-clearance distances are required for SVFR — just remain visually clear of clouds.
Clearance required: SVFR is BY ATC CLEARANCE ONLY. The pilot requests SVFR; ATC may approve or deny. Most ATC facilities have local procedures and traffic-priority guidance that determines when SVFR is granted.
SVFR at night (paragraph b): Permitted only if the PIC holds an instrument rating AND the aircraft is equipped for instrument flight. Night SVFR is restricted because the visual reference loss at low visibility/cloud clearance is dangerous without IFR backup capability.
SVFR Helicopters (paragraph c): Helicopters have more lenient SVFR rules — they may operate SVFR below 1 SM visibility (per local letters of agreement) because of their unique low-speed operating capabilities.
SVFR is NOT permitted at the busiest Class B airports: Appendix D to Part 91 lists Class B airports where SVFR is prohibited (e.g., JFK, LGA, BOS, ORD, LAX, etc.). The volume of traffic at these airports makes SVFR operationally impossible.
Why SVFR is useful: Most often used for departures when ceilings are low but visibility is reasonable — getting out of a coastal marine layer, departing in early-morning low ceilings to climb to VMC above, getting under a passing front. Helicopters use SVFR routinely for EMS and law-enforcement operations.
Reference: AIM 4-4-6 on Special VFR; FAA-H-8083-25 (PHAK) Chapter 15.
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