Question: What Does Broken Mean Aviation?

What is the difference between broken and overcast?

So how is broken and overcast measured? By something called “octals”, which are 8 equal segments of the sky. If the sky is covered between 5/8 and 7/8 with clouds, it’s reported as broken. And if it’s covered 8/8ths with clouds, it’s overcast.

What are broken clouds?

We also use terminology to convey generally how cloudy it is, for example scattered cloud refers to 3 to 4 oktas where about half the sky is covered, broken cloud is 5 to 7 oktas where much of the sky is covered and overcast is 8 oktas of cloud with no breaks in the cloud at all. © Met Office.

What does Broken Sky mean?

The following table describes the different levels of cloud cover and the meanings. Each cloud deck may represent a type of cloud, such as High Clouds, Middle Clouds, or Low Clouds. If the sky is broken or overcast, then you can usually only see the lowest cloud deck.

Can you fly VFR in Broken clouds?

“The short answer is yes. You may legally fly on top as long as you can maintain the appropriate VFR cloud clearances. The only regulatory restriction is that student pilots are not allowed to fly above a cloud layer without ground reference.

Are cloud based AGL or MSL?

Cloud Height: Remember, METAR and TAF report the height of clouds AGL, not MSL.

How thick is a cloud on Earth?

High clouds have base heights of 3,000 to 7,600 meters (10,000 to 25,000 ft) in polar regions, 5,000 to 12,200 meters (16,500 to 40,000 ft) in temperate regions, and 6,100 to 18,300 meters (20,000 to 60,000 ft) in the tropical region.

Why are the clouds broken?

If the surrounding air has a low humidity, the water droplets or ice crystals that make up the cloud quickly evaporate as the cloudy air mixes with its surroundings; this results in the cloud maintaining a sharp boundary.

Can you measure a cloud?

Cloud base is readily measured by instrument to a reasonable level of accuracy. The type of cloud base recorder used widely at synoptic observing stations is shown below.

Why is cloud cover measured in eighths?

The unit of cloud amount – okta – is an eighth of the sky dome covered by cloud. Sky needs to be mentally divide it into eight boxes, then all the visible clouds are squashed into these boxes. The number of filled boxes is how many oktas of cloud there are.

What is a Oktas chart?

When used in weather charts, okta measurements are shown by means of graphic symbols (rather than numerals) contained within weather circles, to which are attached further symbols indicating other measured data such as wind speed and wind direction.

What does an indefinite ceiling mean?

As it pertains to meteorology, the ceiling classification denoting a poorly defined boundary between clouds and clear air where vertical visibility into surface-based obscuration ends.

What is a broken ceiling?

2. Definition of ceiling. Ceiling at your intended destination may be defined as the lowest broken or overcast cloud layer. If the sky is totally obscured, height of vertical visibility is used as the ceiling.

How high can I fly VFR?

An aircraft must maintain an altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

What to do if you fly into a cloud?

If you inadvertently find yourself in a cloud, note your heading and immediately start a level 180-degree turn to get yourself out. Try to maintain a standard rate turn or no more than 20-degrees of bank if you ‘re not used to referencing rate-of-turn indications.

Do airlines ever fly VFR?

Generally the airlines operating procedures will only permit IFR operation. Occasionally non-revenue flights for aircraft positioning etc, will operate VFR for expediency. As far as I know, the size of the aircraft does not matter much. You just cannot plan airline flights (carrying passengers) in VFR.