Is there an FAR mandating no turns below 1000’ in IMC unless prescribed by a SID?

I swear I read this somewhere once and cannot find it now.

Thanks kindly!

It’s 400’ AFL from a TERPS perspective on diverse departures. Assuming no obstacles in the flight path, it’s straight ahead to 400’, then the survey looks at the OIS for 200’/nm until reaching the enroute structure.

See FAAO 8260 TERPS 14-1.

GF

No, there is not.

The aeronautical information manual 4-3-4 refers to the turn on traffic pattern departures as starting at traffic pattern altitude, or turns to the crosswind when within 300' of pattern altitude if remaining in the pattern. https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publ...d_10-12-17.pdf

Consider your environment. If you're departing a Class G airport in instrument conditions, you may have received a clearance with void time, and won't be talking to ATC or receiving traffic advisories. It may be "IMC," but that doesn't mean that other aircraft aren't flying around that airport; I've seen it on various occasions and have encountered aircraft in the traffic pattern when the field is under instrument conditions. You might consider staying with the traffic pattern departure practice of climbing to pattern altitude before initiating your turn. This may also be the case with a tower.

One of the closer misses I had involved a Cherokee at a towered field, and my departure in a Lear 35. I heard the tower direct the Cherokee on a townwind turn and we were cleared for takeoff with an unrestricted climb. Right about 1,000' we flashed by the cherokee, who didn't make the turn and was still going straight out, runway heading. We let the tower know. In that particular case, we were VMC, not IMC, and departing into a morning sun, but the point is the same. Tower or not, IMC or not, the traffic may be there. TCAS doesn't guarantee that it's not, either. I've had something similar with an ultralght while instrument conditions prevailed.

That’s scary.

on a somewhat related note, if you are departing from an airport that is class G your clearance will probably include something like “enter controlled airspace heading XYZ” or “direct XYZ” fix. Sometimes that controlled airspace starts at 700, sometimes it’s 1200, sometimes it’s even higher (mountainous).