An incident as a reminder
An IFR pilot of a Cessna was at around 7,000 feet, exactly at the height of dense cumulus clouds. Suddenly, he saw a glider disappear into one of these clouds in front of him. He immediately reported to air traffic control that he had to take evasive action as the cloud was already "occupied". The controller in charge was not informed about the glider, which further aggravated the situation. The Cessna pilot decided to climb above the cloud cover to avoid possible further conflicts with thermals or unannounced gliders.
This incident is an example of how cloud flying in a glider can only work safely if it is coordinated with IFR traffic and the prescribed rules are observed.
The Cloud Flying Rating
The basic prerequisite for legal cloud flying is the acquisition of the Cloud Flying Rating. The European regulation can be found in the Sailplane Flight Crew Licensing (SFCL)The requirements for training, examinations and obtaining the rating are described in SFCL.215.
Thirteen flight schools currently offer this training in Switzerland. The content includes both theory - in particular meteorology, instrument flight procedures and aviation law - and practical flight exercises that train you to fly safely in clouds.
Technical approval and equipment
Not every glider may fly in clouds. The licence is specified in the respective Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) or in the Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) under "Kinds of Operation". Additional equipment features must also be present. These result from SAO.IDE.105 and include, among other things:
- a functioning transponder,
- suitable instrumentation for cloud flying,
- a power supply that reliably ensures the operation of the devices.
Only if the aircraft and equipment meet the requirements may a glider with a Cloud Flying Rating operate in clouds.
Procedures for cloud flight
The procedures are strictly regulated. The decisive factor is that the pilot must have a ATC release and activates the transponder. This ensures that the glider is visible to other road users and can be taken into account by air traffic control.
Cloud flying is also only permitted in certain airspaces and is restricted to cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds that have no direct contact with the ground. A minimum distance of 300 metres between the cloud base and the highest obstacle on the ground must be guaranteed. The exact procedures are described in the VFR Manual (RAC 3-1-2) and in the VRV-L Art. 25 defined.
Significance for flight safety
Cloud flying considerably expands the possibilities of gliding - especially on long cross-country flights when thermals are to be utilised above cloud developments. At the same time, however, the risks also increase: limited visibility, possible icing and the proximity to IFR traffic require the utmost discipline and care.
Cloud flying is therefore not just an additional flying privilege, but a real responsibility. Anyone who has the rating must be aware of the fact that ATC and other pilots can only react reliably if rules are consistently adhered to.
Good airmanship as the highest maxim
The anecdote shows: Cloud flying in gliders and IFR traffic must go hand in hand. While gliders are given a certain degree of flexibility thanks to cloud flying ratings, it remains important for IFR pilots to remain vigilant and take avoidance rules into account.
Source references:
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