Ibra wrote:
Practically, given the small size of the zones you will be be very luck to find a day when you are VFR (in VMC) outside the zone while the weather is IMC (or less than VMC) inside the zone
It happens. E.g. heavy localised rain, just on the final approach path (but not on the runway), killing visibility. Entered the CTR with low visibility on the ATIS, on a SVFR clearance, while I was in sight of the airport from the CTR’s edge, 7nmi away. With a 4 km runway, it was possible to do the whole (short) final approach out of rain, over the runway, still landing with enough runway to come to a full stop and takeoff again, several times.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Not only isolated clouds. If there is a an overcast at 1500’, you could be flying along happily at 1000’ in class G, but would need SVFR for a control zone crossing.
Taking my comments back 
, yes I discovered today that can be more common than what I had in mind even in the UK
Here is a scenario: using class D airport A instrument approach to break-off clouds (say at 600ft) and then decide to go VFR to a nearby airport B which is OCAS you will surely be on a SVFR 
Airborne_Again wrote:
Not only isolated clouds. If there is a an overcast at 1500’, you could be flying along happily at 1000’ in class G, but would need SVFR for a control zone crossing.
Yes that is possible as well, I did not visualize it along the height dimension
Ibra wrote:
isolated clouds
Not only isolated clouds. If there is a an overcast at 1500’, you could be flying along happily at 1000’ in class G, but would need SVFR for a control zone crossing.
Noe wrote:
The point is that in G airspace (outside the zone) you only need to be clear of clouds, while in a D zone you’ll need to keep minimum distances (vertical / horizontal) from cloud
Yes, if we are only talking about relaxing 1.5km/1000ft separation from isolated clouds that would make sense
On visibility, it used to be you need for any SVFR in the UK you need 10km visibility for vanilla PPL unless you have an IR/IMC (this no longer under SERA, but the legacy rules will take some time to clear ), given the size of Gatwick zone crossing is max 10km you should be able to go VFR in the first place
More than 10km tough, 12.5km to be precise
Ibra wrote:
Practically, given the small size of the zones you will be be very luck to find a day when you are VFR (in VMC) outside the zone while the weather is IMC (or less than VMC) inside the zone
Such weather is not unusual. Anytime the cloudbase is between 500 and 1500 feet.
Ibra wrote:
Practically, given the small size of the zones you will be be very luck to find a day when you are VFR (in VMC) outside the zone while the weather is IMC (or less than VMC) inside the zone
The point is that in G airspace (outside the zone) you only need to be clear of clouds, while in a D zone you’ll need to keep minimum distances (vertical / horizontal) from cloud
Timothy wrote:
I think, and I don’t have time to check, that it is still true to say that you cannot get an SVFR crossing of Class D. It’s only if you are landing or taking off within it. Thus a VFR pilot can only cross Class D under VFR, not SVFR.
Practically, given the small size of the zones you will be be very luck to find a day when you are VFR (in VMC) outside the zone while the weather is IMC (or less than VMC) inside the zone
If you stay inbound or outbound to the zone that problem is much easier to grasp…
Probably, SVFR now applies only to helis operating in Heathrow/City/Gatwick zones?
Timothy wrote:
think, and I don’t have time to check, that it is still true to say that you cannot get an SVFR crossing of Class D. It’s only if you are landing or taking off within it. Thus a VFR pilot can only cross Class D under VFR, not SVFR.
There is no such restriction in SERA. It only talks about “operating” in the control zone.
GA_Pete wrote:
Hi Timothy, I’m starting to doubt my memory but incase you can remember, it was the entiire Channel islands zone when heading to Brittany.
That was the case until a few years ago, but, as others have said, anywhere that can now offer SVFR is now Class D, so available VFR.
I think, and I don’t have time to check, that it is still true to say that you cannot get an SVFR crossing of Class D. It’s only if you are landing or taking off within it. Thus a VFR pilot can only cross Class D under VFR, not SVFR.
