Definition
A specific section of the Federal Aviation Regulations that prescribes the rules for taking off and landing under instrument flight rules (IFR), including the conditions a pilot must meet to descend below the published Decision Altitude, Decision Height, or Minimum Descent Altitude on an instrument approach. It lists the required flight visibility and the visual references (such as the runway environment, approach lights, threshold markings, and touchdown zone) that must be distinctly visible and identifiable before continuing the approach to landing.
Plain English
This is the FAA rule that tells a pilot flying an instrument approach exactly what they must be able to see, and how clear the air must be, before they're allowed to keep descending toward the runway and land.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument approach, low-visibility landing, and Enhanced Flight Vision System discussions, especially when deciding whether a pilot may continue below the published minimum altitude.
Derivation
14 CFR' means Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which contains all U.S. aviation rules. 'Part 91' covers general operating and flight rules for civil aircraft. 'Section 91.175' is the specific paragraph within that part. Knowing the citation pattern helps because pilots see references like '91.175' constantly in handbooks, checkrides, and operations manuals — it's just a precise address pointing to one rule in the regulations.
Why Pilots Care
It supplies the legal authority and required conditions for using EFVS to complete landings that would otherwise result in a missed approach.
Analogy
Think of it like a street address for a rule: “14 CFR” is the law book, “part 91” is the neighborhood, and “section 91.175” is the exact house where this landing rule lives.
Intuition Check
Do not read “part” as an airplane part, and do not read “section” as just a handbook section. Here, they are legal address words that point to a specific FAA regulation.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor reminded the student that under 14 CFR part 91, section 91.175, they could not descend below the Decision Altitude unless the runway environment was clearly visible.
Example Sentence 2
Under 14 CFR part 91, section 91.175 the pilot may descend to touchdown using enhanced vision once the required visual references are confirmed.