VFR Part 135

purpel

purpel

Well-Known Member
Hi guys and gals,

I was curious, because I cannot find my FAR/AIM right now.

Let's say a pilot gets hired for VFR 135. What are the limitations that pilot can fly in.

For instance can the pilot only fly in VFR and daytime conditions?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Geez, going off of memory after I just woke up, so hopefully ppragman will go easy on me when pointing out my mistakes

Pilot requirements:
Commercial Certificate
500 TT
25 Night XC

Wx requirements:
VFR weather conditions appropriate to the airspace in (Class B, C, D, E, or G)
Requires 2 mile viz below 1000 AGL
500 feet min altitude for all operations exception Take Off
Night requires 1,000 feet above all terrain within 5 miles of your course, 2,000 feet in mountainous terrain. (Ok, don't quote me on that, Pat or Roger will come on and correct me)
SVFR requires 1 mile, clear of clouds. (Want to depart in 200 overcast? Been there done that, kinda fun if you know what you're doing and where good wx is)

I'm sure there's more but I need to get off the iPad and start my day. Basically the only place I've discovered where you can actually fly 135 VFR down to those limitations is AK. Everywhere else you're going to impale yourself on some radio tower.
 
There is always the electronic version of the regs.

135.205 VFR: Visibility requirements.​

(a) No person may operate an airplane under VFR in uncontrolled airspace when the ceiling is less than 1,000 feet unless flight visibility is at least 2 miles.
Click to expand...
§ 135.203 VFR: Minimum altitudes.​

Except when necessary for takeoff and landing, no person may operate under VFR—
(a) An airplane—
(1) During the day, below 500 feet above the surface or less than 500 feet horizontally from any obstacle; or
(2) At night, at an altitude less than 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 5 miles from the course intended to be flown or, in designated mountainous terrain, less than 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 5 miles from the course intended to be flown; or
Click to expand...

135.243
4) Each flight is conducted under day VFR with a ceiling of not less than 1,000 feet and visibility not less than 3 statute miles;
(5) Weather reports or forecasts, or any combination of them, indicate that for the period commencing with the planned departure and ending 30 minutes after the planned arrival at the destination the flight may be conducted under VFR with a ceiling of not less than 1,000 feet and visibility of not less than 3 statute miles, except that if weather reports and forecasts are not available, the pilot in command may use that pilot's observations or those of other persons competent to supply weather observations if those observations indicate the flight may be conducted under VFR with the ceiling and visibility required in this paragraph;
Click to expand...

Personally, I thought flying a 182rg on VFR charter was a blast.

edit: your OpSpecs will possibly be more restrictive.
 
Douglas said:
There is always the electronic version of the regs.




135.243


Personally, I thought flying a 182rg on VFR charter was a blast.

edit: your OpSpecs will possibly be more restrictive.
Click to expand...

The only OpSpec I have seen that modified the VFR mins was to allow float operations down to 100ft Ovc in class G.
 
Douglas

I have another newb question.

So if the weather is 1000/3 at the arrival airport, can a VFR 135 pilot file IFR since he/she will have to go through that layer of clouds, or does it have to strictly be VFR? For instance would the pilot have to find a hole and remain VFR under the cloud layer just like a private pilot would have to with no instrument privileges? Or could the pilot file IFR and shoot the approach to the airport?

Thanks for your post I found it very helpful


TallFlyer Thanks for your post also :)
 
purpel said:
Douglas

I have another newb question.

So if the weather is 1000/3 at the arrival airport, can a VFR 135 pilot file IFR since he/she will have to go through that layer of clouds, or does it have to strictly be VFR? For instance would the pilot have to find a hole and remain VFR under the cloud layer just like a private pilot would have to with no instrument privileges? Or could the pilot file IFR and shoot the approach to the airport?

Thanks for your post I found it very helpful


TallFlyer Thanks for your post also :)
Click to expand...
When operating under 135 as a pilot with only a VFR checkride in your airplane for your company, the only time you may legally enter the IFR system is in an emergency. The fact that you have an instrument rating and are IFR current under part 91 is irrelevant. So yes, you have to remain underneath or find a hole, keeping in mind the 135 requirement when operating VFR over the top that if you are in a single engine aircraft you must have a VMC descent path to a place to land in the event of an engine failure.
 
Roger Roger said:
When operating under 135 as a pilot with only a VFR checkride in your airplane for your company, the only time you may legally enter the IFR system is in an emergency. The fact that you have an instrument rating and are IFR current under part 91 is irrelevant.
Click to expand...

Thank you. :)
 
TallFlyer said:
Geez, going off of memory after I just woke up, so hopefully ppragman will go easy on me when pointing out my mistakes

Pilot requirements:
Commercial Certificate
500 TT
25 Night XC

Wx requirements:
VFR weather conditions appropriate to the airspace in (Class B, C, D, E, or G)
Requires 2 mile viz below 1000 AGL if you're in uncontrolled airspace
(so 1000' ceilings you need one mile, 500' to 1000' ceilings you need 2 miles provided the whole time you're in class G, if you go into class B,C,D,E airspace, you need to meet the requirements of that airspace. Clear as mud?)
500 feet min altitude for all operations exception Take Off
Night requires 1,000 feet above all terrain within 5 miles of your course, 2,000 feet in mountainous terrain. (Ok, don't quote me on that, Pat or Roger will come on and correct me)
SVFR requires 1 mile, clear of clouds. (Want to depart in 200 overcast? Been there done that, kinda fun if you know what you're doing and where good wx is)

I'm sure there's more but I need to get off the iPad and start my day. Basically the only place I've discovered where you can actually fly 135 VFR down to those limitations is AK. Everywhere else you're going to impale yourself on some radio tower.
Click to expand...

That pretty much covers it. I added a few clarifications ( ;-) ) but yeah, operationally you hit everything that I can think of.
 
purpel said:
Douglas

I have another newb question.

So if the weather is 1000/3 at the arrival airport, can a VFR 135 pilot file IFR since he/she will have to go through that layer of clouds, or does it have to strictly be VFR? For instance would the pilot have to find a hole and remain VFR under the cloud layer just like a private pilot would have to with no instrument privileges? Or could the pilot file IFR and shoot the approach to the airport?

Thanks for your post I found it very helpful


TallFlyer Thanks for your post also :)
Click to expand...
No prob.

At a Class G airport you can definitely land at anything down to 1 mile and clear of clouds. Basically, if you can see it, and you can hit it, land there. If you gotta follow the beach at 500 & 2 or 1,000 & 1 so much the better. Been there done that got the T shirt. Grease the landing and your pax will think you're a rock star. Do it all smooth AND grease the landing and you've moved up to Pragman status. Me, I'm just a hack.

Again, the caveat to all this is that the only place in the US where I think 135 VFR is a viable way to run a railroad is AK. Everywhere else in the lower 48 with the exception of certain Idaho backcountry you're just going to end up on a NTSB report and seriously tick on some radio and TV station owners.

The other thing I'll say is that flying VFR up north is hugely fun most days, but realize what the time is worth and have an exit strategy. The transition for me to lower 48 freight dog was not a huge one, but if you're coming off of 3,000 of AK VFR time you may be lacking in certain IFR skill sets.
 
Flight Express, in the past, has done VFR in Florida. They weren't anymore when I worked there.
 
TallFlyer said:
No prob.

At a Class G airport you can definitely land at anything down to 1 mile and clear of clouds. Basically, if you can see it, and you can hit it, land there. If you gotta follow the beach at 500 & 2 or 1,000 & 1 so much the better. Been there done that got the T shirt. Grease the landing and your pax will think you're a rock star. Do it all smooth AND grease the landing and you've moved up to Pragman status. Me, I'm just a hack.

Again, the caveat to all this is that the only place in the US where I think 135 VFR is a viable way to run a railroad is AK. Everywhere else in the lower 48 with the exception of certain Idaho backcountry you're just going to end up on a NTSB report and seriously tick on some radio and TV station owners.

The other thing I'll say is that flying VFR up north is hugely fun most days, but realize what the time is worth and have an exit strategy. The transition for me to lower 48 freight dog was not a huge one, but if you're coming off of 3,000 of AK VFR time you may be lacking in certain IFR skill sets.
Click to expand...

I think you grossly over-estimate me, also, I'm mostly an IFR junky any more, don't do much of the SE AK "VFR." Anymore I'm an "airline" pilot who happens to fly a Navajo
 
TallFlyer said:
No prob.

At a Class G airport you can definitely land at anything down to 1 mile and clear of clouds. Basically, if you can see it, and you can hit it, land there. If you gotta follow the beach at 500 & 2 or 1,000 & 1 so much the better. Been there done that got the T shirt. Grease the landing and your pax will think you're a rock star. Do it all smooth AND grease the landing and you've moved up to Pragman status. Me, I'm just a hack.

Again, the caveat to all this is that the only place in the US where I think 135 VFR is a viable way to run a railroad is AK. Everywhere else in the lower 48 with the exception of certain Idaho backcountry you're just going to end up on a NTSB report and seriously tick on some radio and TV station owners.

The other thing I'll say is that flying VFR up north is hugely fun most days, but realize what the time is worth and have an exit strategy. The transition for me to lower 48 freight dog was not a huge one, but if you're coming off of 3,000 of AK VFR time you may be lacking in certain IFR skill sets.
Click to expand...
I pointed out in another thread, there's actually still quite a few VFR guys in the lower 48. It's just mostly low key small time mom and pop shops.
Redtail and McCall are two that I've seen around.

Also, just because someone has an IFR cert doesn't mean you have to be IFR. We were VFR up in Idaho more than we were IFR because the IFR system just doesn't cut it up there. Just like it doesn't always cut it in SE.
 
z987k said:
I pointed out in another thread, there's actually still quite a few VFR guys in the lower 48. It's just mostly low key small time mom and pop shops.
Redtail and McCall are two that I've seen around.

Also, just because someone has an IFR cert doesn't mean you have to be IFR. We were VFR up in Idaho more than we were IFR because the IFR system just doesn't cut it up there. Just like it doesn't always cut it in SE.
Click to expand...

That's because you guys in SLC are NUTS! :D
 
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