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Gig 601XL Builder writes:

Let's say you are approaching a uncontrolled airport with overcast at 1500
ft AGL and there are VFR pilots in the pattern. Do you think that just maybe
this is why there are more than one radio in most aircraft and in virtually
all aircraft that fly IFR regularly?

I don't know the original purpose for two radios, but it cannot be
that, because there will be no VFR pilots (legally) in the pattern
with an overcast at 1500 feet.

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder writes:

Let's say you are approaching a uncontrolled airport with overcast at 1500
ft AGL and there are VFR pilots in the pattern. Do you think that just maybe
this is why there are more than one radio in most aircraft and in virtually
all aircraft that fly IFR regularly?

I don't know the original purpose for two radios, but it cannot be
that, because there will be no VFR pilots (legally) in the pattern
with an overcast at 1500 feet.

While 1 radio is legal ( as is no radio) its not very uncommon. When
approaching an uncontrolled field IFR any reasonable pilot will have
CTAF dialed in #2 and listening long before ATC releases him, so he
understands what is going on in the pattern.

-robert, CFII

Mxsmanic wrote:
Gig 601XL Builder writes:

Let's say you are approaching a uncontrolled airport with overcast at 1500
ft AGL and there are VFR pilots in the pattern. Do you think that just maybe
this is why there are more than one radio in most aircraft and in virtually
all aircraft that fly IFR regularly?

I don't know the original purpose for two radios, but it cannot be
that, because there will be no VFR pilots (legally) in the pattern
with an overcast at 1500 feet.

In the U.S. they'll be there and legal. At a pattern altitude less
than 1200', you're legal during the day if you stay clear of clouds.

Kev

Kev writes:

In the U.S. they'll be there and legal. At a pattern altitude less
than 1200', you're legal during the day if you stay clear of clouds.

Only in Class G, and at a vast number of untowered airports 1000' AGL
is still in Class E (700' floor).

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Mxsmanic wrote:
Kev writes:

In the U.S. they'll be there and legal. At a pattern altitude less
than 1200', you're legal during the day if you stay clear of clouds.

Only in Class G, and at a vast number of untowered airports 1000' AGL
is still in Class E (700' floor).

In Class E, with a typical 800'-1000' pattern, they'd still be 500'
below the aforementioned 1500' clouds, and therefore legal.

I soloed under those conditions. Thereafter I was known as "MVFR Kev"
:-)

Kev writes:

In Class E, with a typical 800'-1000' pattern, they'd still be 500'
below the aforementioned 1500' clouds, and therefore legal.

I suppose so. I doubt that anyone ever checks, anyway. Enforcement
is problematic if any kind of objective proof is required.

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On 2007-01-19, Mxsmanic wrote:
Only in Class G, and at a vast number of untowered airports 1000' AGL
is still in Class E (700' floor).

And what is the required cloud clearance in class E?

Milen Lazarov writes:

And what is the required cloud clearance in class E?

1000 above, 500 below when flying below 10000 MSL, and 1000 in both
directions when flying at or above 10000 MSL. So you cannot fly a
pattern at 1000 AGL in Class E if you have a ceiling of 1500.

This applies to the United States (FAR 91.155); I don't know about
other countries.

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On 2007-01-20, Mxsmanic wrote:

1000 above, 500 below when flying below 10000 MSL, and 1000 in both
directions when flying at or above 10000 MSL. So you cannot fly a
pattern at 1000 AGL in Class E if you have a ceiling of 1500.

This applies to the United States (FAR 91.155); I don't know about
other countries.

So if you're at 1000 AGL and the ceiling is 1500, how are you not
500 feet below the clouds? And why you cannot fly the pattern?

Milen Lazarov writes:

So if you're at 1000 AGL and the ceiling is 1500, how are you not
500 feet below the clouds? And why you cannot fly the pattern?

The FARs are actually ambiguous, but they say "distance from clouds
.... 1000 feet below."

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