Definition
A departure conducted under Visual Flight Rules in which the pilot is responsible for terrain and obstacle clearance, even when the flight will later operate on an IFR flight plan. An IFR clearance is typically picked up airborne from ATC after departure, and the pilot must remain in visual meteorological conditions until that clearance is received and accepted.
Plain English
Taking off and flying away from the airport using outside visual references and your own eyes to stay clear of terrain and weather, then calling ATC once airborne to pick up your IFR clearance for the rest of the flight.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument departure planning when a pilot considers leaving an airport visually instead of using an instrument departure procedure right from the runway.
Derivation
VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules: rules for flying by looking outside and staying in weather that allows visual flight. Departure comes from the idea of leaving a place; in aviation, it means the takeoff and early part of leaving the airport area.
Why Pilots Care
Determines whether a pilot can depart without an IFR clearance and without following specific departure routing, provided weather meets VFR minima for the airspace.
Grounding Statement
If you cannot safely see and avoid what is around you after takeoff, a VFR departure is not the right plan.
Intuition Check
Do not read “VFR departure” as just “a normal takeoff on a nice day.” It specifically means the departure is being flown under visual-flight responsibilities, even if the pilot plans to join an IFR clearance later.
Example Sentence 1
With clear skies and no published departure procedure available, the pilot elected a VFR departure and contacted Center for the IFR clearance once at a safe altitude.
Example Sentence 2
On a clear morning the flight instructor chose a VFR departure from the uncontrolled airport to avoid filing an instrument flight plan.