Flight categories: VFR, MVFR, IFR
TC AIM MET Table 4.3 defines three categories (VFR, MVFR, IFR) by ceiling and visibility; the GFA IFR outlook itself depicts only the IFR areas. The worse of the ceiling and visibility decides the category.
| Category | Ceiling (AGL) | Visibility |
|---|---|---|
| IFR | below 1,000 ft | and/or below 3 SM |
| MVFR | 1,000 to 3,000 ft | and/or 3 to 5 SM |
| VFR | above 3,000 ft | and above 5 SM |
- Ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer (or the vertical visibility into an obscuration).
- The worse figure wins: a high ceiling with 2 SM visibility is still IFR. VFR needs both the ceiling and the visibility above their limits.
Trap: grading on the better of the two. If either the ceiling or the visibility falls in the IFR band, the category is IFR.
References
- TC AIM MET 4.0 (Table 4.3, IFR Outlook Criteria)