Welcome to my Amateur Radio & General Aviation site. Click on the links and images to learn more about "Ham" Radio & Flying!
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73 (best regards) |
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Amateur "Extra" Class License WU1M: Worked All States & Continents, CP-35, DXCC, ARRL Life Member.
Commercial Pilot, FAA Gold Seal & Master CFI-AIM, AIGI (Certified Flight Instructor - Airplane/Instrument/Single & Multiengine, Advanced & Instrument Ground Instructor), Remote Pilot - SUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems), FAA's Windsor Locks District & Eastern Region 2006 "CFI of the Year", 2025 AOPA "Distinguished CFI", FAA Safety Team Representative & Major in the Civil Air Patrol (USAF Aux.).
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Category | Ceiling | Visibility | |
Low Instrument Flight Rules LIFR* (magenta sky symbol) |
below 500 feet AGL | and/or | less than 1 mile |
Instrument Flight Rules IFR (red sky symbol) |
500 to below 1,000 feet AGL | and/or | 1 mile to less than 3 miles |
Marginal Visual Flight Rules MVFR (blue sky symbol) |
1,000 to 3,000 feet AGL | and/or | 3 to 5 miles |
Visual Flight Rules VFR+ (green sky symbol) |
greater than 3,000 feet AGL | and | greater than 5 miles |
*By definition, IFR is ceiling less than 1,000 feet AGL and/or visibility less than 3 miles while LIFR is a sub-category of IFR. +By definition, VFR is ceiling greater than or equal to 3,000 feet AGL and visibility greater than or equal to 5 miles while MVFR is a sub-category of VFR. |
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missing |
CLR |
SKC |
FEW |
SCT |
BKN |
OVC |
OVX |
Automated stations report "CLR" when clouds may exist above 12,000 feet so a square is used to represent this uncertainty whereas an unfilled circle is used for "SKC" which a human reports the sky is completely clear overhead. The abbreviation "OVX" is unofficial but ADDS uses it here to indicate the sky is obscured which is the case when a METAR reports vertical visibility and no cloud information. Weather information and color coding for informational purposes only. Contact Flight Service for official weather information. Source: ADDS/NOAA |