In the United States, to file and fly under IFR, a pilot must be instrument-rated and, within the preceding six months, have flown six instrument approaches, as well as holding procedures and course interception and tracking with navaids.
People Also Ask
You need to name an alternate airport on your IFR flight plan if, for the period of time one hour before and one hour after your estimated time of arrival, the weather is forecast to include a ceiling of 2,000 feet agl and/or visibilities less than three statute miles (the 1-2-3 rule).
So, as a general answer, in the U.S., flight at altitudes at and above 18,000 feet (5.49 km) above mean sea level requires a flight plan (an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan - known as IFR) and joyriding/offroading as you put it, is not permitted.
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules and without an instrument rating, pilots may not operate under IFR. Instrument Flight Rules essentially means: You can file an instrument flight (evaluate weather conditions) You can efficiently move through areas of differing airspace.
Let's say the weather at your airport is IFR but clear a few miles away. While the VFR-only pilot will have to wait for the weather to improve, the IFR pilot can depart on an IFR flight plan, then cancel the IFR flight plan when they are in VFR conditions.
IFR requires a ceiling less than 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and/or visibility of fewer than three miles. VFR requires a ceiling greater than 3,000 feet AGL and visibility that's greater than five miles.
Part of the reason instrument flying is such a thrill is that it's hard, a fact that is simultaneously underrated and overrated by pilots. Underrated because really flying IFR (not just earning the rating) is probably the most challenging activity you can do these days, unless you're a heart surgeon or a Navy SEAL.
IFR flying is astronomically more challenging than is VFR flying, but those pilots who achieve this distinction are invariably better and safer pilots, both when flying IFR and when flying VFR. Aviating under IFR, a pilot is authorized to fly into clouds in what is called zero visibility.
IFR flying provides certain protections which are not readily available to those flying under VFR. Even if you never fly into a cloud, having an IFR-equipped airplane and pilot will make for a safer and confident journey. Flying through and above the clouds provides for safer travels.
14 CFR 91.169 (b) (2) (i) states that an alternate airport is not required if “for at least 1 hour before and for 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival the ceiling will be at least 2000 feet above the airport elevation and the visibility will be at least 3 statute miles.” To help remember those conditions of the ...
In aviation medicine, the 1% rule is a risk threshold that is applied to the medical fitness of pilots. The 1% rule states that a 1% per annum risk (See also risk management) of medical incapacitation is the threshold between acceptable and unacceptable.