when an airplane flies through a cloud this is all the pilot sees pilots that fly aeroplanes under visual flight rules operate with visual reference to the ground and other traffic visual meteorological conditions are set minimum weather conditions that pilots must adhere to to stay out of clouds and maintain sufficient visibility there are many safety related reasons to fly in vmc for example a vfr airplane flying directly under a cloud may not be able to see and avoid an ifr aeroplane descending through the cloud but if the vfr airplane maintains the required separation from the cloud both pilots are more likely to see each other and avoid a risk of collision every vfr pilot must be familiar with vmc in the country and airspace they're flying in australian class d airspace the airplane must maintain a 1000 foot vertical distance when flying above the cloud or a 500 foot vertical distance when flying below the cloud plus 600 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be five kilometers when flying through class g airspace vmc is a little bit more complicated when flying at or below 3000 feet of altitude the airplane must be clear of cloud and in sight of the ground or water the flight visibility must be five kilometers the same rule applies in areas of higher ground elevation so if flying at or below one thousand feet above ground level the airplane must be clear of cloud in sight of the ground and the flight visibility must be five kilometers when flying below ten thousand feet of altitude the airplane must maintain a one thousand foot vertical distance when flying above or below cloud plus a 1 500 metre horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be 5 kilometers when flying at or above 10 000 feet of altitude the airplane must maintain a 1000 foot vertical distance when above or below the cloud plus 1 500 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be eight kilometers when flying through controlled class c airspace below ten thousand feet of altitude the aeroplane must maintain a one thousand foot vertical distance when below and above the cloud plus a 1 500 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be 5 kilometers when flying through class c airspace at or above 10 000 feet of altitude the airplane must maintain a 1000 foot vertical distance when below and above the cloud plus a 500 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be 8 kilometers when flying through class e airspace below 10 000 feet of altitude the airplane must maintain a 1000 foot vertical distance when above or below the cloud plus a 1 500 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be five kilometers when flying through class e airspace at or above ten thousand feet of altitude the aeroplane must maintain a one thousand foot vertical distance when above or below the cloud plus a 1 500 meter horizontal distance from the cloud flight visibility must be 8 kilometers if there is a lot more cloud when returning to class d airspace by day and vmc cannot be maintained the pilot can request special vfr operations this flight must be conducted clear of cloud and flight visibility must be 1.6 kilometers you