IFR vs IMC?

[mytai01]

Does anyone know the difference? 

[Snappy]

Hi.

 

IFR = Instrument flight rules

IMC = Instrument meteorological conditions.

IFR refers to the set of aviation rules a flight is performed under/in accordance with, as opposed to VFR , visual flight rules. In simple terms, there are different requirements to a lot of aspects of a flight. Pilot certification, aircraft certification and necessary equipment, routing, alternates ,weather minima and so on.The list is rather long.

 

IMC refers only to weather conditions. In IMC the weather is such  that you can only do a flight in under IFR  , you can no longer fly in VFR, because the weather is too bad to meet the requirements of VFR/visual flight rules

 

There is also VMC, visual meteorological conditions, meaning the weather is sufficiently "good" enough to perform a flight under visual flight rules.

 

You can fly IFR in VMC, no problem ( no one stops you from flying on instrument rules in cloudless sunshine) , but you can't or lets say shouldn't in the strongest sense of the word, do the opposite, fly VFR in IMC.

(because besides the legal issues, in the worst case , you re now in a cloud area , without an adequately equipped / instrumented aircraft and you as a pilot might not have the necessary qualifications for navigating/flying  safely under these weather conditions)

 

 

here are  a few links with some deeper information on the topic, if you re interested. The official FAA one (last link has lots of good free book material on all that stuff), check their

"instrument flying handbook" it gives a good idea of what flying IFR entails.

 

https://skybrary.aero/index.php/Instrument_Meteorological_Conditions_(IMC)

 

https://skybrary.aero/index.php/Visual_Meteorological_Conditions_(VMC)

 

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/

 

Kind regards,

 

Snappy

 

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Snappy

[mytai01]

On 2/17/2021 at 11:28 PM, Snappy said:

Hi.

 

IFR = Instrument flight rules

IMC = Instrument meteorological conditions.

IFR refers to the set of aviation rules a flight is performed under/in accordance with, as opposed to VFR , visual flight rules. In simple terms, there are different requirements to a lot of aspects of a flight. Pilot certification, aircraft certification and necessary equipment, routing, alternates ,weather minima and so on.The list is rather long.

 

IMC refers only to weather conditions. In IMC the weather is such  that you can only do a flight in under IFR  , you can no longer fly in VFR, because the weather is too bad to meet the requirements of VFR/visual flight rules

 

There is also VMC, visual meteorological conditions, meaning the weather is sufficiently "good" enough to perform a flight under visual flight rules.

 

You can fly IFR in VMC, no problem ( no one stops you from flying on instrument rules in cloudless sunshine) , but you can't or lets say shouldn't in the strongest sense of the word, do the opposite, fly VFR in IMC.

(because besides the legal issues, in the worst case , you re now in a cloud area , without an adequately equipped / instrumented aircraft and you as a pilot might not have the necessary qualifications for navigating/flying  safely under these weather conditions)

 

 

here are  a few links with some deeper information on the topic, if you re interested. The official FAA one (last link has lots of good free book material on all that stuff), check their

"instrument flying handbook" it gives a good idea of what flying IFR entails.

 

https://skybrary.aero/index.php/Instrument_Meteorological_Conditions_(IMC)

 

https://skybrary.aero/index.php/Visual_Meteorological_Conditions_(VMC)

 

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/

 

Kind regards,

 

Snappy

 

 

 

Correct!!! You win my undying praise...;)

[Snappy]

There I was, thinking you were asking  a true question with an interest in learning..

 

Regards,

Snappy

[AG-51_Razor]

Yeah but hey, it's not a total loss Snappy. Now you have his undying praise!

[Art-J]

@Snappy - there are bunch of others, who are not yet very familiar with these terms, or whose knowledge is a bit rusty already. They'll certainly find your summary very helpful.

[mytai01]

My profession is in aviation. I just wanted to see if anyone else was familiar...but yes, you have my undying praise!

[probad]

cringe

[USSInchon]

On 2/28/2021 at 1:42 PM, mytai01 said:

My profession is in aviation. I just wanted to see if anyone else was familiar...but yes, you have my undying praise!

In fairness there are those of us professionals that don't know the difference.  We had a discussion about this one time in my tower.

[Mars Exulte]

On 2/28/2021 at 1:42 PM, mytai01 said:

My profession is in aviation. I just wanted to see if anyone else was familiar...but yes, you have my undying praise!

 

  Well, considering the community you're posting in, probably hundreds or thousands of people here know the difference. If your intent was to be ''helpful/educational'' it would have made a lot more sense for YOU to post the summary Snappy did. Instead we just have this very awkward series of posts =)

[mytai01]

On 3/8/2021 at 12:10 PM, Mars Exulte said:

 

  Well, considering the community you're posting in, probably hundreds or thousands of people here know the difference. If your intent was to be ''helpful/educational'' it would have made a lot more sense for YOU to post the summary Snappy did. Instead we just have this very awkward series of posts

It is what it is...

Edited March 10, 2021 by mytai01