During a VFR flight, what minimum distance must you maintain from clouds?

In a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flight, the regulations require pilots to maintain specific distances from clouds to ensure safe visual navigation and to avoid reduced visibility scenarios that could lead to inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

To comply with VFR regulations, pilots must maintain a minimum distance of 500 feet below the base of clouds to ensure adequate vertical separation from cloud cover. Additionally, when flying at altitudes above clouds, pilots must maintain at least 1,000 feet above the cloud tops to ensure they have clear visibility and can remain VFR. Lastly, there is a horizontal distance requirement of 1,500 feet from the horizontal boundaries of clouds, helping to avoid situations where visibility could be compromised.

These requirements are outlined in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and serve to enhance flight safety by ensuring pilots have adequate visibility and separation from obstacles and potential hazards associated with cloud formations. Adhering to all three minimum distance requirements under VFR conditions contributes to safer flight operations. Hence, all the specified distances must be maintained, making the combined requirement the most comprehensive and accurate choice.