Airplanes Ceiling Instrument Meteorological Conditions 
Northstar VFR
JANUARY 4, 2023
by Gustin Robinson, FAA CFI-I ASEL Flying under instrument meteorological conditions keeps even a good pilot on their toes. But now, while flying in low visibility and overcast cloud layers, you have to rely on your instrumentation more than ever before and keep your eyes inside the airplane.
Plane and Pilot
AUGUST 9, 2024
The airplane was his 1964 Cessna 172 E, white with blue and yellow trim. It wasn’t equipped for instrument flying but did have an FAA-approved supplemental type certificate (STC) to use automotive gasoline. For a non-instrument-rated pilot in an airplane not equipped for instrument flight, the blanket of white was unflyable.
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Plane and Pilot
AUGUST 9, 2024
The airplane was his 1964 Cessna 172 E, white with blue and yellow trim. It wasn’t equipped for instrument flying but did have an FAA-approved supplemental type certificate (STC) to use automotive gasoline. For a non-instrument-rated pilot in an airplane not equipped for instrument flight, the blanket of white was unflyable.
Professional Pilot
AUGUST 8, 2024
The ceiling is 800 ft overcast. The GOM also called for the airspeed to be “on target” at such altitudes respectively. According to the GOM, either pilot could call for a go-around, yet neither did despite the published stabilized approach criteria being violated.
Photographic Logbook
JULY 11, 2024
Moments after climbing through the ceiling over Beverly, MA. We made an IFR departure that morning on runway 16 and climbed above the ceiling in short order. Approaching the Green Mountains of Vermont, the ceiling began to close back up. We spent some time in instrument meteorological conditions over Vermont.
Pilot Institute
NOVEMBER 5, 2024
For your planned destination, you need ALL of these conditions to exist: One hour before and one hour after your planned arrival time these conditions must exist. The ceiling must be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation. If any ONE of these conditions is not met, you must file for an alternate airport.
Photographic Logbook
AUGUST 13, 2023
While I anticipated an IFR departure that morning, I wanted to see ceiling and visibility of at least 300 feet and a mile to avoid smacking into mountainous terrain around Pickens County Airport during take-off. Before too long, the visibility rose to unrestricted while the ceiling remained around 300 feet.
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