Pilot Institute

JANUARY 1, 2025

m/s) Visibility: 9999 6 or more sm (10+ km) Weather: VCSH VCSH (showers in the vicinity) Clouds: SCT010 BKN030 OVC060 Scattered clouds at 1000 feet AGL, broken clouds at 3000 feet AGL, overcast cloud deck at 6000 feet AGL Ceiling: BKN030 3000 feet AGL Icing: 620509 Light rime in clouds from 5000 to 14000 feet AGL 1.

Turbulence 98

Turbulence AGL Weather UTC 98

Plane and Pilot

AUGUST 6, 2024

The route is simple, GPS direct, but…there’s my personal 1,000-foot en route ceiling requirement, and those silly Smoky Mountains. But if I was going VFR over strange territory, I would want lots more than 1,000 feet agl. The 1,000-foot en route ceiling means that approach minimums never come into question.

Airplanes 94

Airplanes Weather Ceiling Turbulence 94

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Often, turbulence is the harbinger of mountain waves, not the ideal ceiling—and visibility unlimited—day. FAA weather charts can help for higher altitudes but when just a few thousand feet agl, they may be less useful. We experienced moderate turbulence even at our gate. I flew into that and the venturi effect that day.

Turbulence 97

Turbulence Weather Knot Descent 97

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Our NIFA team of pilots would travel to other colleges and compete in sanctioned competition involving precise navigation, pre-flight inspections, accuracy landings, and simulated bomb drops into a barrel from 100 AGL feet using bean bags as bombs. The weather enroute was marginal VFR, but flyable for the Cessna 150 pilots.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Pilot Institute

MARCH 6, 2025

AGL Above Ground Level AGL is simply a way to tell the basis from which any given height or altitude is measured. Simply put, 400 feet AGL means that the 400 feet is measured from the underlying ground surface above the specific airspace. This is as opposed to other altitude measurements, such as AMSL or above mean sea level.

Pilot 52

Pilot Weather Air Traffic Control NOTAMs 52

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024

The conditions were a mile of visibility and about 500 feet of ragged ceiling, barely enough to maintain orientation by landmarks passing below. A low ceiling absolutely ends a planned flight, though visibility may be the legal determining factor in some situations.

Weather 82

Weather Ceiling Approach Clearance 82

Air Facts

APRIL 24, 2024

We had light winds, good visibility, full cloud cover, and ample ceiling heights. But, with a frontal system approaching, the conditions were expected to worsen over the hours subsequent to our passing through, including the chance for moderate to severe turbulence. But the turbulence would continue to worsen.

Turbulence 52

Turbulence Wind Shear Final Approach Ceiling 52