Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:30 pm
#1894182
David Wood wrote:I don't think I've ever flown by the semi-circular rule when inside controlled airspace. Why would one do that when being, by definition, controlled?
Maybe he meant in the swaths of Echo (controlled) airspace bellow FL100? in Germany, Spain, France…where VFR flies uncontrolled semi-circular on FLX5 by choice while IFR flies controlled levels assigned by ATC to FLX0, just let’s hope it’s not a layered stratus day with IMC layer at FLX5 and VMC between layers at FLX0 otherwise that allocation will not work (I had to please French Echo TMA controller by climbing +2000ft into clouds, after I heard something like “negative, we are between the layers” )
It’s the only case where I think VFR semi-circular makes sense? but hey, I never saw any Echo in UK (maybe once or twice in Scotland while gliding),
PS: the topic reminds me of “IR pilot in IFR aircraft getting caught VFR in IMC OCAS”, how that could ever happen? supposedly some IFR pilots claim you need ATC clearance to switch VFR/IFR and fly level/heading in clouds while being uncontrolled in Golf, heck where this comes from? it’s only in Echo where VFR/IFR switch require positive ATC clearance…in Golf it will be daft to sneak between clouds or avoid them by going down to terrain (if one can fly in clouds), besides we all know how a cloud look like? it’s part of MET exams and we all know it’s legal and safe to fly in Golf if one is IFR rated/equipped: this is not just UK Golf, it’s also the case in ICAO Golf, SERA Golf and even US Golf as per 14 CFR § 91.173
If the pilot can’t distinguish Echo from Golf in the map, they better stay away !
Last edited by Ibra on Tue Jan 18, 2022 2:22 pm, edited 24 times in total.