If you had fewer clouds than the standard definition of "scattered" (which
isn't the FAA's definition), then perhaps you should have described them as
"few".

As I've stated, it was even fewer than "few"...

But in any case, I'd say what we're "getting hung up on" is your use of the
word "cloud". The number of clouds is irrelevant. If there's just one,
it's still illegal to touch that one cloud while operating VFR (the exact
distance depends on the particular airspace, but there's no allowance for
actually touching a cloud while VFR).

IMHO we need a better working definition of "cloud". Remaining "clear
of clouds" or "x distance from clouds" is all fine and dandy when
they're big, massive CBs -- anyone can figure that one out.

But what of these little puffies? Somehow treating a Toyota-sized puff
with the same deference as a 50-story cumulo-nimbus cloud seems absurd.

IMHO, if you cannot see through the condensed moisture suspended in the air,
it's a cloud. You may argue that it's so small as to not present a safety
issue, but the legal requirement does not provide exceptions for clouds that
are small enough to see around.

What is the source of that tid-bit, if you don't mind sharing? Or are
you just restating the "clear of clouds" line from the FAR-AIM?

(As a reminder: "legal" is not the same as "safe", just as "illegal is not
the same as "unsafe"...the two terms often coincide, but you need to meet
both "legal" AND "safe" as a pilot).

Right. I believe I was both, but it's all going to come down to the
FAA's definition of "cloud".

If you can see THROUGH, then you're just fine, IMHO. That's not a cloud,
it's a visibility reduction. If you cannot see through the cloud, you have
no business touching it, no matter how small.

If that's the FAA's definition of "cloud" I was clearly in violation of
the FARs. I personally don't think that's what is meant by "clear of
clouds" (or even "cloud", for that matter) -- but I can't find any hard
and fast definition of "cloud" in the FARs...

Crap. We could go down this road with other FAA weather descriptions,
too.

What's "fog"? I've flown in haze that was pretty close to fog, and
I've seen fog that wasn't as thick as the haze we routinely fly in
around here in August. Most people would say it's illegal to fly VFR
in fog, no?

What are "known icing conditions"? By some people's definition of the
FARs I fly in them all the time, VFR. Of course, I'm thousands of feet
below the freezing level, in light rain -- but technically I'm in
"known icing conditions" by some definitions...

Mary and I have pretty stringent minimums that we won't violate when
flying. At no time do we ever fly in any manner that we don't *both*
agree is "safe." We also both have a solid working knowledge of the
FARs, and we do not consider cloud, er, "Puffie Dancing" (that just
doesn't have the same 'ring' to it) to be in violation of the FARs.
Dipping a wing in a puffie on a clear VFR day, far from any airport,
hundreds of miles from the nearest busy airspace, is one of the true
joys of flying, and it would strike me as sad to think that someone
would view it as "illegal" or "unsafe"...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"