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a. In visual meteorological conditions, the pilot in command (PIC) is responsible
for terrain and obstacle clearance (See and Avoid) whether operating under VFR or
IFR. Although this AC addresses the issue of pilots operating under VFR in marginal
VMC or IMC conditions, the FAA does not endorse or approve of pilots operating
under VFR in IMC. The paragraphs dealing with such operations are only designed
to highlight the risks of such operations. The FAA expects pilots to comply with
the appropriate flight rules for all flight operations.
b. This AC addresses CFIT operations in the United States, only. Flight operations
outside of the United States have added risks that can contribute to a CFIT accident.
These risks include air traffic control (ATC) instructions from controllers to
whom English is a second language or controllers with a limited ATC vocabulary.
Other international factors include different types of altimeter settings,
terrain elevation, runway data in units other than feet, and a general lack of
knowledge with the international ICAO standards and country specific operating
standards. U.S. pilots planning on operating outside the United States need to
carefully review the appropriate international requirements and operating procedures
to ensure that an inadvertent mistake or failure to comply with local procedures
does not result in a GA CFIT accident.
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