Since you asked

Dear Rod:

I am a CFI and am married to a beautiful woman who just hates to fly and gets nervous around airplanes. Several nights ago I was talking to her about the introductory flight lesson I gave to a new student. She said, “I bet I could do that. Maybe I should learn to fly?” I would love for her to learn and would appreciate any advice on how not to alienate her during the training process.

Respectfully,
Dennis

Greetings Dennis:

Ah, a window of opportunity! You definitely want to take advantage of this. Here’s what I suggest.

First, ask her what she thinks an ideal first flight would be like. Then ask her what she thinks she’ll learn on that first flight. Answers to these two questions allow you to better evaluate whether or not her first-flight expectations are practical and reasonable. For instance, it’s possible she’s thinking that she won’t be asked to take the controls on this first lesson. Just imagine how uncomfortable she’ll feel when you look over and say, “Princess Buttercup, you’ve got the controls.” So design your introduction to best accommodate her expectations.

Second, take her flying under the most ideal conditions. That means in smooth air that’s neither too cold nor too hot. Your objective is to make this a flight that she’ll want to repeat.

Dear Rod:

I’ve often heard and read (including FAR 91.155 [c] and [d]) that VFR minimums at an airport consist of a 1,000-foot ceiling and 3 miles visibility. What I don’t understand, however, is how that gets used.

For instance, other weather-based rules state if I’m flying VFR at airports in Class C, D, or E airspace, I need to remain at least 500 feet below clouds, which seems to mean that if the ceiling is 1,000 feet, I’d actually be flying the airport traffic pattern at 500 feet agl. Most of the traffic patterns I’ve seen, though, are at 800 or 1,000 feet agl, which leads me to think that a 1,000-foot ceiling would legally prevent me from simultaneously maintaining my required distance below clouds and maintaining my required traffic pattern height.

Any chance you could help me to understand whatever it is that I’m not now understanding?

Thank you,
Dave

Greetings Dave:

The Aeronautical Information Manual is quite clear on this point. It says, “Traffic pattern altitudes should be maintained unless otherwise required by the applicable distance from cloud criteria.” FAR 91.155 (cloud clearance regulations) is perfectly clear on this point, too. It says that you are required to maintain a minimum vertical distance from any cloud formation, based on the type of airspace in which you’re flying. Sorry, but no wiggle room here.

The reason for this particular rule is that another airplane might be making an instrument approach to that airport and the main protection it has against hitting you (or you hitting it), if it pops out of the bottom of the cloud, is your being the required distance below that cloud. On the other hand, this means that you’ll likely have to fly below the established pattern altitude in some instances. Sometimes this can be done safely, but there are instances where it might generate hazards or problems.

For instance, if you’re operating in surface-based Class D airspace and the cloud bases are 1,000 feet agl with a pattern altitude of 800 feet, you’d need to operate at 500 feet agl (300 feet below the pattern altitude) to honor the FAR’s cloud clearance requirement. But what if the other pilots in the pattern decided to stay at 800 feet AGL? That presents a hazard, since not everyone is operating on the same level, to say nothing about possibly upsetting the neighbors by flying at a lower altitude. You can’t always assume that a 1,000-foot ceiling in surface-based airspace allows you to fly the pattern with impunity, can you?

So what would I do? I’d always honor the FAR requirements for cloud clearance. If this puts me below pattern altitude, I’d have to evaluate whether or not the risk of a collision hazard, a noise complaint, or a violation of the minimum safe altitude requirements (FAR 91.119) make traffic pattern operations unreasonable on that day. While a 1,000-foot ceiling may be legal VFR in surface-based controlled airspace, operations in that airspace may be unwise, if not illegal. You’ll have to make this call on your own.