ENR 1.2 VISUAL FLIGHT RULES

• 1 GENERAL
  • 1.1 Civil Aviation Rule
    • 1.1.1 Visual flight rules are prescribed in Subpart D of CAR Part 91, which is available on the CAA website.
  • 1.2 Aircraft Equipment Requirements
    • 1.2.1 As noted in GEN 1.5, the instrument and equipment requirements for aircraft operating under VFR in the New Zealand FIR (NZZC) and the Auckland Oceanic FIR (NZZO) are prescribed in CAR Part 91, Subpart F.
• 2 VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL MINIMA
  • 2.1 Visibility and Distance from Cloud
    • 2.1.1 The general meteorological minima for visibility and distance from cloud for VFR flights are prescribed in CAR 91.301. These minima are summarised in Table ENR 1.2-1.
    • 2.1.2 The exceptions to the minima summarised in Table ENR 1.2-1 are detailed in paragraphs 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5 below.

    Table ENR 1.2-1
    VFR Meteorological Minima

    Class of Airspace		Distance from cloud	Flight visibility
    B*		Clear of cloud	8 km at or above 10,000 ft AMSL 5 km below 10,000 ft AMSLA
    C, D and E*		2 km horizontally 1000 ft vertically outside a control zone 500 ft vertically within a control zone
    F* and G	Above 3000 ft AMSL or 1000 ft above terrain whichever is the higher	2 km horizontally 1000 ft vertically
    	At or below 3000 ft or 1000 ft above the terrain, whichever is the higher	Clear of cloud and in sight of the surface	5 km

    Note: * Classes B, E and F airspace are not currently used in New Zealand.
    • 2.1.3 Notwithstanding the meteorological minima detailed in Table ENR 1.2-1, pilots performing air operations (an air transport operation or a commercial transport operation as defined in CAR Part 1) must comply with the meteorological conditions prescribed in Subpart C of CAR Part 121, Part 125 or Part 135 as appropriate.
  • 2.2 Exceptions to VFR Meteorological Minima
    • 2.2.1 Notwithstanding the VFR meteorological minima summarised in Table ENR 1.2-1, a pilot of:
      • (a) a helicopter may operate in Class G airspace with a visibility of less than 5 km if operated at a speed that will give adequate opportunity to observe other traffic or any obstructions in order to avoid collisions;
      • (b) an aircraft performing agricultural aircraft operations may operate in Class G airspace with a flight visibility of less than 5 km but not less than 1500 m; and
      • (c) an aircraft performing flight instruction may operate within a low flying zone designated under CAR Part 71 with a flight visibility of less than 5 km but not less than 1500 m.
  • 2.3 Aerodrome VFR Meteorological Minima
    • 2.3.1 Except for flight under Special VFR, a pilot is not permitted to take off or land an aircraft, or fly in the vicinity of an aerodrome under VFR when the flight visibility, or the cloud ceiling, is less than the minima summarised in:
      • (a) Table ENR 1.2-2, VFR MET Minima at Aerodromes within a Control Zone; and
      • (b) Table ENR 1.2-3, VFR MET Minima at Aerodromes in Uncontrolled Airspace.

      Table ENR 1.2-2
      VFR MET Minima at Aerodromes within a Control Zone

      		Ceiling	Visibility
      All aircraft	Day and Night	1500 ft	5 km

      Table ENR 1.2-3
      VFR MET Minima at Aerodromes in Uncontrolled Airspace

      		Ceiling	Visibility
      All aircraft	Day	600 ft	1500 m
      All aircraft	Night	1500 ft	8 km

  • 2.4 Special VFR (SVFR) Meteorological Minima
    • 2.4.1 CAR 91.303 allows the pilot of an aircraft to perform a VFR operation within a control zone in weather conditions below those normally prescribed, provided that the operation is performed:
      • (a) in compliance with an ATC clearance and ATC instructions;
      • (b) by day only;
      • (c) clear of clouds;
      • (d) with the ceiling and visibility detailed in Table ENR 1.2-4, except that helicopters may operate with lower minima, if the helicopter is operated at a speed that will give adequate opportunity to observe other traffic or any obstructions in order to avoid collisions; and
      • (e) in an aircraft equipped with two-way radio capable of communicating with ATC on the appropriate frequency.

      Table ENR 1.2-4
      Special VFR Meteorological Minima

      		Ceiling	Visibility
      All aircraft	Day	600 ft	1500 m

    • 2.4.2 Requests for authorisation to enter or transit a control zone as a SVFR flight may be made by radio or telephone. All requests must specify the ETO for the selected entry point and must be made five to ten minutes before that time. Authorisation to operate as a SVFR flight does not absolve the pilot from compliance with CAR 91.311 regarding minimum heights for VFR flight.