Definition
The minimum horizontal and vertical distances a pilot operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) must remain from clouds, as specified in 14 CFR 91.155. The required distances vary by airspace class, altitude, and time of day, and apply in addition to minimum flight visibility requirements.
Plain English
The rules that tell a VFR pilot how far they must stay away from any cloud — both sideways and up or down — depending on where and how high they are flying.
Context Anchor
Seen when checking whether a helicopter flight can legally continue under VFR minimums, especially near controlled airspace, low ceilings, or changing weather.
Derivation
Clearance comes from the idea of being clear of something, meaning having enough open space around it. In aviation, clearance can also mean permission from air traffic control, but in cloud clearance requirements it means required separation from clouds.
Why Pilots Care
Prevents inadvertent IMC encounters and supports safe visual navigation and traffic avoidance.
Grounding Statement
If you are close to a cloud, the question is not just whether you can still see the ground; it is whether the rules require more space between you and that cloud.
Intuition Check
Do not read clearance here as ATC permission. In cloud clearance requirements, clearance means the required distance or separation from clouds.
Example Sentence 1
Before departing on the cross-country, she checked the cloud clearance requirements for Class E airspace below 10,000 feet and confirmed the ceiling was high enough to comply.
Example Sentence 2
In uncontrolled airspace the cloud clearance requirements for helicopters are lower than those for airplanes.