Coping with Weather - VFR2IMC

Coping with weather is a vital skill for any pilot and VFR2IMC is one of the most challenging situations you'll face. At the end of the day, it's your call whether you fly or not, or which route you take to fly safely. 

VFR2IMC is a situation when a pilot operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flies into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). When this happens you lose all visual references. This makes it very difficult to fly safely. The workload and sensations will make aviating especially hard and navigating or communicating nearly impossible.

Both VFR and instrument-rated pilots can fall victim to the VFR into IMC trap – 75% of all weather-related accidents in Europe result in a fatal outcome. VFR into IMC sadly remains the leading cause of fatal weather-related accidents in General Aviation. The goal is for every pilot and passenger to land safety after every flight to #flyanotherday. Whenever you take to the sky, it is important to "Make the Right Call" by gathering all the information you need to take a decision on whether to fly or not, where to fly and what do in the air. 

Learning from other pilots and taking action yourself

The most important thing is to avoid a VFR2IMC situation in the first place. One of the best ways to learn is from the experience of other pilots. EASA got together 12 pilots from across Europe who had experience with VFR2IMC. We asked them to share their experiences and we also put them in VFR2IMC situation in a simulator and also talked to them about their experience with that. 

You can watch the main video of this experiment below. We will share the full stories of some of the pilots over the coming weeks - follow our GA Facebook Page to keep in touch with that. 

You can also download the VFR2IMC Safety Cards from the bottom of the page. 

Beware of the risks of VFR2IMC

• Don’t underestimate VFR2IMC – it can be deadly. 
• Your best line of defence is to avoid VFR2IMC in the first place. 
• Be brave: it takes courage to rethink your plan instead of continuing into worsening conditions.

Planning to Avoid VFR2IMC 

As a pilot, sooner or later you’ll face the challenge of dealing with marginal weather. Your decision-making skills will then be put to the ultimate test. It is important to collect all the information you need and then make an informed and mindful decision. 

• Staying flexible is important – be ready to change your plans based on the weather. 
• Planning a way out in any situation is a habit of a good aviator. 
• Recognising the signs of get-there-itis are the first steps to resisting your own temptation or peer-pressure to go or to continue

Don’t Fly if the Conditions are Below Your Personal Minimums? 

Deciding whether to fly or not should be a well-considered decision. Never fly if the conditions are below your minimums. 

• Establish and then stick to personal weather minimums - these should be more conservative than legal requirements to ensure a safe margin.
• Include minimum visibility and cloud clearance levels.
• If the conditions aren’t right for your level of proficiency – stay on the ground or replan so that you can live to fly another day.
• Ask a safety pilot or an instructor to join you on your flight if you have not flown for some time, are not certain enough of your own proficiency or have any doubts on the flight. 

Recognise and Return to VMC Safely 

"If weather conditions begin to deteriorate or you find yourself inadvertently entering IMC, take a deep breath and remain calm.” It is a totally natural and human reaction to be startled when you inadvertently and suddenly lose your outside references. 

• Stay alert to changing conditions along your route.
• Keep your wings level and try to make a 180-degree turn to return to VMC conditions.
• Don’t be afraid to declare an emergency and get help from Air Traffic Control (ATC) or Flight Information Service (FIS).

Remain Calm and Slow Down

When everything starts getting complicated, the golden rule for any pilot is AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE – in that order. This means first focus on flying the aircraft above anything else.  Eyes inside on the attitude indicator, wings level – that must be your first action. 

You can then decide where to go and what to do – navigating to safety. 

Finally, once you have the capacity, talk to someone else (usually ATC). Do not be afraid or ashamed to declare an emergency to get all the help you need. VFR2IMC is a life threatening event.