Now that you have learned all about flying VFR, are you ready to take off? Let's go through this checklist to see if the weather is appropriate for flying VFR. 

1. Remember flying VFR is all about visibility first, and you must stay outside of clouds! Make sure you have observed and have the forecast of the cloud coverage before you go. 
2. The normal weather minimums needed to fly VFR at an airport are: horizontal visibility of 3 statute miles or more and ceiling (altitude of the lowest overcast or broken cloud base) of 1000 feet above the airport.
3. What are the current ceiling and visibility and how much room do I have between the reported/forecast ceilings and the terrain along my route?
4. What visibility can I expect for each phase of flight (departure, enroute, destination)?
5. Are there conditions that could reduce visibility during the planned flight? 
6. If flying in mountainous terrain, consider whether there are strong winds aloft. Strong winds in mountainous terrain can cause severe turbulence and downdrafts and be very hazardous for aircraft even when there is no other significant weather.
7. Are there any thunderstorms present or forecast?
8. Are there any indications for wind shear or convective activity (thunderstorms) which, apart from the possible impact on departure / approach, may indicate the possibility for turbulence to occur.

When you have considered all of these aspects and you made sure that it is safe to fly, take off and enjoy the flight!

For now, enjoy this beautiful bird's eye view from Victoria, BC!

 Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/167688786095429948/?lp=trueLinks to an external site.