To echo what Grumble said, VFR is merely a description of meteorological conditions, "VFR on top" is an actual clearance received from ATC.

 

VFR Over the Top (OTT) vs. the IFR clearance of VFR on Top is really semantics when you look at the mindset of the operation described in this thread.

I'd much rather the guy actually be VFR on Top (towing a glider over hilly terrain obscured by clouds ) because at least they'd have a clearance and be talking to ATC.

 

If you want to be pedantic, VFR is set of regulations under which a flight can be conducted. Specifically, 14 CFR 91.151 through 91.165. (IFR is 14 CFR 91.167 through 91.199)

VMC is a description of meteorological conditions; Visual Meteorological Conditions.

It might not seem like an important distinction but it can be helpful in guiding you to the appropriate resource when researching a question.

 

Same thing happened to me in Vermont in 1993. BOS to BTV in a Beech 1900. I'm driving. We were descending into BTV over the Green Mountains, passing through 10000 and just came out of the bases of the clouds and a glider was dead ahead. Pushed the plane nose down and got zero g's for a second or two and everyone screamed. Landed and turned around to face the passengers and every single head was leaning into the aisle staring at me thru the cockpit door that we weren't allowed to close.

Scariest moment in my aviation career. The Beech had no autopilot and that probably saved our lives as I had my hands on the controls. To this day I keep my hands on the controls below 10 always. People may think I'm weird but oh well nothing new there No transponder in gliders is a bad rule. Times have changed and the skies are too crowded.

I hope that if this incident is true it leads to some new rules regarding gliders and transponders.

 

In the strictest sense, you are correct and its probably a good distinction to make. That said, in the vernacular, we use the term VFR as an adjective.

 

Many people do, but it can lead to confusion.

“The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.”
― Confucius

 

"See and avoid" is victim blaming that does nothing for safety considering the electronics we have now. Flying a glider I always felt a bit puckered above 3000 AGL ft (or so) because that's where a lot of really small and fast aircraft tend to cruise and snooze. From 3000 AGL to 15000 there are pilots in business jets running checklist and mashing buttons while on approach to satellite airports while skirting around control zones. And here I am in the same airspace with almost no visible cross section and no electrical system. I'm also so slow that I'm looking down the nose of every threat, so they're practically invisible until their broadside blossoms halfway through the near miss.


In 2020 a C-150 will send ADS-B when it pretty much lives below 3000 ft AGL and usually only mixes with the fast stuff in positive controlled airspace. Meanwhile a lot of gliders basically live in the part of class E dominated by 200+ knot airplanes while having no transponder at all.

 

You fly for BEX? I was in BTV in 93 too

 

See and avoid is part of the responsibility a pilot accepts when he turns a prop/rotor/turbine.

The rules allowing flight for some aircraft are for good reason. They do not have engine powered electrical systems, i.e. ;gliders, antique aircraft, hang gliders.

Unless you are in favor of outlawing those aircraft, it is going to stay that way until battery and radio technology makes it reliable and feasible.

Twice in the last decade I have personally had to take evasive action where a "child of the magenta line", was not looking outside.

The most recent was a low level go around where a 737 took the runway I was landing on,. (Yes he had clearance) and if he had looked outside before crossing he hold short he would have seen an aluminum overcast on short final.

The other time, landing at a small uncontrolled county airport where a charter Navajo rolled onto the runway in front of my 1939 vintage plane with no radios. Same thing, he didn't (see and avoid), look outside.

I confronted him the next day and his response was that he called traffic on Unicom and didn't hear anyone.

Put down your game/phone/iPad/Usatoday and say heads up. It is certainly no imposition.

 

We're you able to have a F2F with the 73 CA?