VFR altitude and level restrictions- At a height not less than 150m (500ft) above the ground or water except over the congested areas of cities, towns or settlements.
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Below is a brief summary of some of these topics. VFR: ceiling > 3,000 feet AGL (above ground level) and visibility > 5 s.m. MVFR: ceiling 1,000 to 3,000 feet AGL and/or visibility 3 to 5 s.m. IFR: ceiling 500 to < 1,000 feet AGL and/or visibility 1 to 3 s.m.
The VFR Cruising Altitude rule does not apply below 3,000 feet AGL. There are some altitudes, however, that pilots seem to choose for level flight. Close to sea level they are 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500. They are easy to read and remember on an altimeter.
Well, as most of you under the FARs are aware?not to say used to?in the United States it is perfectly legal to fly VFR without any visual contact with the ground. As long as you maintain the minimum VFR requirements regarding visibility and cloud clearances, you are good to go?all you need is a natural horizon.
All planes are designed to fly whatever they need to achieve their mission (military or civilian). Some can fly at 50,000 or above because their missions require it, such as the U-2 and the SR-71 reconnaissance planes. A U-2 flew over the Chinese balloon at about 60,000 ft. Some fighter aircraft can reach 50,000 also.
A series of Navy and Air Force programs in the 1950s and 1960s used pressure vessels or pressure suits to get balloonists higher, some to above 100,000 feet. Skydiver Nicholas Piantanida set an unofficial record—123,500 feet—in 1966, but a later attempt went awry when his helmet depressurized.
No person may operate an aircraft under basic VFR when the flight visibility is less, or at a distance from clouds that is less, than that prescribed for the corresponding altitude and class of airspace.
Prudent pilots typically set higher weather minimums for night VFR flights. FAR 91.157—In order to get a Special VFR clearance at night, you must have an instrument rating, an instrument-equipped airplane, 1 mile visibility, be able to remain clear of clouds, and a Special VFR clearance from air traffic control.
This brings us to IFR (instrument flight rule) pilots. IFR flying is astronomically more challenging than VFR flying, but those pilots who achieve this distinction are invariably more equipped to fly IFR and VFR. Aviating under IFR, a pilot is authorized to fly into clouds in what is called zero visibility.