VFR On Top Clearance

F

FDX8891

Well-Known Member
I've never used one before, but from my understanding it's an IFR clearance where pilots must comply with certain IFR and VFR rules simultaneously.

From reading the Instrument Flying Handbook, I understand it to be something one would utilize in order to climb through a low, thin overcast layer in order to get to VFR conditions and continue to their destination VFR while still on an IFR flight plan.

Because I've never used one before, and I live in an area where thin, early morning cloud layers ground most VFR flights, I must ask - Is it something that I could use with my Instrument students to climb through a low layer, do IFR manuevering (VOR tracking, holds, DME arcs) while in VFR, then when it's time to come back, shoot an instrument approach (given that I could get in) to my home airport?

For instance, could I file KMKE-KMKE "VFR on Top"?

Maybe I should post this in the ATC section, but I thought I'd ask here first.
 
Yes, you can do that, except now-a-days, with all these new fangled computerized clearances 'n stuff, I don't think the computer can read mke to mke. I think you have to put some other point out there to go to and come back to.

Best bet is to get your local controller's phone # and ask how to file it.
 
I always just called ground and requested an IFR clearance to VFR on top, with a direction of flight or a practice area. They'd issue the clearance something like this: "November Fower Niner Llama Unicorn, cleared to the Gregg County VOR via radar vectors, climb to VFR on top, if not on top by Wun Zero Thousand, maintain Wun Zero Thousand and advise. Departure frequency 133.1, squawk Zero Three Zero Wun". Then once reaching VFR on top, we'd cancel IFR and go to the practice area frequency and do our thing. When done, we'd call up approach and get a popup clearance for an approach back to the field. Did this many many times when instructing and never had a problem with it. Don't know how your airport would want it done though, and if you intend to do arcs and maneuvers and such I'd probably just ask for multiple local IFR approaches and stay IFR the whole time.
 
Heck, use it to get on top with your VFR students. Do your VFR maneuvers while on top, and hook 'em for the instrument rating on the way down!
 
Bernoulli Fan said:
Heck, use it to get on top with your VFR students. Do your VFR maneuvers while on top, and hook 'em for the instrument rating on the way down!
Click to expand...
Yeah. Though, depending on where you are and what the weather is, climbing all the way on top in a piston single can be...not exactly time efficient. Did it all the time in the DA42. Nothing like doing airwork at 11,000 then shooting an approach to circling mins.
 
VFR on top works great for when you want to keep your IFR clearance "open" but want to choose a cruising altitude and/or go direct (when ATC wont let you under your full IFR clearance). Obviously the altitude must be above the minimum IFR altitude (+500) and you must maintain your own traffic separation as well as cloud clearances/visibility.

Then, when you reach the destination and have to fly an approach, you dont have to do anything except request a hard altitude (IFR altitude) and complete the flight back on your IFR flight plan... ie fly the approach.

As far as filing for VFR on top, I wouldnt even worry about that. Just get the clearance, depart IFR, then request VFR on top once youre airborne and able to maintain VMC. Thats what I have found to work the best.
 
Some great responses. Thanks.

At my flight school the VFR on top clearance seems to be one of those things that many people can talk about but not many people have experience doing it.

Sounds like next time there's a low layer that I'd like to bust through to get to CAVU that this might be the best practical option instead of letting my student cancel the flight.
 
there seems to a misunderstanding on a VFR ON TOP clrn. it is a IFR clrn that allows a pilot to climb or decent in VMC conditions at or above MEA, MIA, MVA it dose not allow pilots to deviate off the filed route without a ATC approval.if you want to maneuver in a practice area , or pratice holding or track a vor radial you would need a clrn to do this from ATC .its easer to just file a round robin IFR clrn and tell the controller that you want to climb to VMC conditions cancel IFR and stay on the freq for traffic advisories and when your done just request an IFR clrn back to the airport. VFR ON TOP is used as more of an enroute clrn not a local one.

OG
 
queeno said:
there seems to a misunderstanding on a VFR ON TOP clrn. it is a IFR clrn that allows a pilot to climb or decent in VMC conditions at or above MEA, MIA, MVA it dose not allow pilots to deviate off the filed route without a ATC approval.if you want to maneuver in a practice area , or pratice holding or track a vor radial you would need a clrn to do this from ATC .its easer to just file a round robin IFR clrn and tell the controller that you want to climb to VMC conditions cancel IFR and stay on the freq for traffic advisories and when your done just request an IFR clrn back to the airport. VFR ON TOP is used as more of an enroute clrn not a local one.

OG
Click to expand...
+1. I always here people refer to "VFR on top" incorrectly. Being VFR above a layer is not "VFR on top."
 
:offtopic: but You know some of the best flights were when I'd go up with CFI candidates in the summer and need to file IFR to the practice area. They give you a block altitude, two radials and distances to stay between.
Having them do a steep turns around pillars of cumulus always got them excited about doing something as old hat as steep turns.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top