If you could memorize only one table for the FAA knowledge test, this would be a strong candidate. The VFR weather minimums are asked directly, they come up in chart and weather questions, and they decide whether you can legally fly on any given day. The good news is that the whole table collapses into just a few number patterns once you see how it is built.
Below 10,000 feet MSL, most controlled airspace needs 3 miles and 500 below, 1,000 above, 2,000 horizontal from clouds (“3-152”). Class B only needs 3 miles and clear of clouds. At 10,000 feet MSL and above, it becomes 5 miles and 1,000 / 1,000 / 1 mile (“5-111”). Class G in daylight, 1,200 feet AGL or below, is the exception: 1 mile and clear of clouds.
The Basic VFR Minimums (14 CFR 91.155)
| Airspace | Flight visibility | Distance from clouds |
|---|---|---|
| Class A | VFR is not permitted | |
| Class B | 3 statute miles | Clear of clouds |
| Class C | 3 statute miles | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class D | 3 statute miles | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class E, below 10,000 ft MSL | 3 statute miles | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class E, at or above 10,000 ft MSL | 5 statute miles | 1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 statute mile horizontal |
| Class G, 1,200 ft AGL or less, day | 1 statute mile | Clear of clouds |
| Class G, 1,200 ft AGL or less, night | 3 statute miles | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class G, above 1,200 ft AGL and below 10,000 ft MSL | 1 mile (day) or 3 miles (night) | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class G, above 1,200 ft AGL and at or above 10,000 ft MSL | 5 statute miles | 1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 statute mile horizontal |
Three patterns carry almost the whole table:
- 3-152: 3 miles, 500 below, 1,000 above, 2,000 horizontal. It is the default for Class C, D, and E below 10,000.
- 5-111: 5 miles, 1,000 below, 1,000 above, 1 mile horizontal. It applies at 10,000 feet MSL and above.
- Class G low and in daylight is the generous one: 1 mile and clear of clouds.
Class B is also simple: 3 miles and clear of clouds. Class A does not appear because VFR flight is not permitted there.
The Surface-Area Rule
Inside the surface area of Class B, C, D or E airspace designated for an airport, there are extra rules for basic VFR (91.155(c)):
- You may not take off, land or enter the traffic pattern if the ground visibility is below 3 statute miles (or, if none is reported, the flight visibility is below 3 miles).
- You may not operate beneath the ceiling if the ceiling is below 1,000 feet.
So for a towered airport in Class D with a 900-foot ceiling, basic VFR does not work, even if the visibility is fine. Your options are to wait or to ask for Special VFR.
Special VFR (14 CFR 91.157)
Special VFR is an ATC clearance that lets you operate in the surface area of Class B, C, D or E airspace when the weather is below basic VFR minimums. The conditions:
- You need an ATC clearance.
- You stay clear of clouds.
- You have at least 1 statute mile of flight visibility.
- For takeoff or landing, the ground visibility must be at least 1 mile.
- At night, the pilot must be instrument rated and the airplane equipped for instrument flight.
Some airports prohibit Special VFR, marked “NO SVFR” on the sectional.
The Airspace Classes in One Table
| Class | Typical shape | To enter | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 18,000 ft MSL to FL600 | IFR clearance | Transponder with altitude reporting and ADS-B Out |
| B | Surface to about 10,000 ft MSL, in layers like an upside-down wedding cake | Explicit ATC clearance | Two-way radio, Mode C transponder, ADS-B Out |
| C | Surface to 4,000 ft AGL, 5 NM inner core and 10 NM shelf | Two-way radio communication established | Two-way radio, Mode C transponder, ADS-B Out |
| D | Surface to about 2,500 ft AGL, around 4 NM | Two-way radio communication with the tower | Two-way radio |
| E | Controlled airspace that is not A, B, C or D | Nothing for VFR | Transponder and ADS-B Out in some areas (see below) |
| G | Uncontrolled | Nothing | Nothing |
A few details students often miss:
- Class C and D entry: you must call and get your call sign acknowledged. “Standby” is not enough.
- Class B entry: you need to hear “cleared into the Class Bravo airspace”. Contact alone is not a clearance.
- Transponder with altitude reporting and ADS-B Out are also required within the 30 NM Mode C veil around a Class B primary airport, and above 10,000 feet MSL (except at and below 2,500 feet AGL).
- Class E starts at the surface, at 700 feet AGL, at 1,200 feet AGL, or at 14,500 feet MSL, depending on where you are. It extends up to, but not including, 18,000 feet MSL.
Reading the Airspace on a Sectional Chart
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Solid blue line | Class B |
| Solid magenta line | Class C |
| Dashed blue line | Class D |
| Dashed magenta line | Class E extending to the surface |
| Faded magenta band (vignette) | Class E starting at 700 feet AGL |
| Faded blue band | Class E starting at 1,200 feet AGL |
| Numbers in a box (for example 100 over 40) | Class B or C ceiling and floor in hundreds of feet MSL |
The MSL versus AGL distinction matters: heights in airspace boxes are MSL, while “700 AGL” refers to above ground level.
Speed Limits
- 250 knots indicated airspeed below 10,000 feet MSL.
- 200 knots at or below 2,500 feet AGL within 4 NM of the primary airport of Class C or D airspace.
- 200 knots in the airspace underlying Class B and in VFR corridors through Class B.
Practice With a Scenario
You are cruising at 4,500 feet MSL in Class E airspace. There is a cloud layer at 3,500 feet MSL, 1,000 feet below you, and nothing above. Visibility is 5 miles. Can you fly VFR? The layer is more than 500 feet below you, and 5 miles is more than the 3 required, so yes. Now climb to 10,500 feet MSL in the same weather: the minimums jump to 5 miles and 1,000 / 1,000 / 1 mile, and a layer 1,000 feet below you now sits exactly at the limit. The same cloud picture can be legal at 4,500 feet and marginal at 10,500 feet.
Common Mistakes
- Mixing up Class B and the rest: Class B needs only “clear of clouds”, but it is the one that needs a clearance.
- Forgetting the night exception in Class G: the generous 1 mile and clear of clouds is for daylight.
- Confusing “radio contact” with “two-way communication”: the controller must answer you with your call sign.
- Forgetting the surface-area ceiling rule: a 900-foot ceiling at a towered airport is not basic VFR.
- Mixing MSL and AGL: check which one each number uses.
Practice It
AltiPrep FAA has airspace and weather-minimum questions with the sectional excerpts used on the test, and an explanation after each answer that shows the number pattern behind the answer.
This article is a study aid. Weather minimums and airspace rules can change, and local conditions vary: always check the current regulations, charts and NOTAMs before flying.
Keep reading: FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test: Format, Subjects and How to Pass · How to Read a METAR and TAF · Weight and Balance Explained · Wind Correction and Heading Conversion · Stalls and Load Factor Explained
Frequently asked questions
What are the VFR weather minimums in Class E airspace below 10,000 feet MSL?
3 statute miles of flight visibility, and you must stay at least 500 feet below, 1,000 feet above and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds. A common way to remember it is the numbers 3-152.
What is different at 10,000 feet MSL and above?
At or above 10,000 feet MSL (and more than 1,200 feet AGL), the requirements increase to 5 statute miles of visibility and 1,000 feet below, 1,000 feet above and 1 statute mile horizontally from clouds, in Class E and in Class G.
Do I need a clearance to enter Class C airspace?
No clearance is required, but you must establish and maintain two-way radio communication with air traffic control before you enter. When the controller calls you by your call sign, two-way communication is established. Class B is different: it requires an explicit clearance to enter.
What is Special VFR?
Special VFR is an ATC clearance to operate in the surface area of Class B, C, D or E airspace when the weather is below basic VFR minimums. You must stay clear of clouds and have at least 1 statute mile of flight visibility. At night, the pilot must be instrument rated and the airplane equipped for instrument flight.
What is the speed limit below 10,000 feet MSL?
250 knots indicated airspeed below 10,000 feet MSL. In Class C and D airspace the limit is 200 knots at or below 2,500 feet AGL within 4 nautical miles of the primary airport, and 200 knots also applies under the lateral limits of Class B airspace and in VFR corridors.