The METAR says 6000 BKN018. Is that good enough for VFR? The honest answer is "it depends on where you are, how high you fly and which airspace you are in", and the numbers sit in one short table that every student pilot should be able to recite.
This guide sets out the table in Kenya's Civil Aviation (Rules of the Air) Regulations, 2025, as we read the published text on 2 November 2026. It also covers the extra control zone rule, the other VFR limits that sit next to the weather minima, and the gap between legal and safe.
The short answer. Above 3,000 ft above sea level (or 1,000 ft above terrain, whichever is higher) and below 10,000 ft, VFR needs 5 km flight visibility and 1,500 m horizontally and 1,000 ft vertically clear of cloud. At and above 10,000 ft the visibility is 8 km. Lower down in Class F and G airspace the rule becomes "clear of cloud and with the surface in sight". Inside a control zone you may not take off, land or enter the circuit if the ceiling is below 1,500 ft or the ground visibility is below 5 km, unless ATC gives a clearance.
What are the VFR weather minima in Kenya?
Regulation 54 sends the reader to the Sixth Schedule. This is the table, in plain words.
| Altitude band | Airspace class | Flight visibility | Distance from cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| At and above 10,000 ft AMSL (3,050 m) | A to G | 8 km | 1,500 m horizontally, 1,000 ft (300 m) vertically |
| Below 10,000 ft AMSL and above 3,000 ft AMSL, or above 1,000 ft above terrain, whichever is higher | A to G | 5 km | 1,500 m horizontally, 1,000 ft (300 m) vertically |
| At or below 3,000 ft AMSL or 1,000 ft above terrain, whichever is higher | A, B, C, D, E | 5 km | 1,500 m horizontally, 1,000 ft (300 m) vertically |
| Same band as above | F, G | 5 km (see note) | Clear of cloud and with the surface in sight |
Source: the Sixth Schedule of the Civil Aviation (Rules of the Air) Regulations, 2025, as published in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 74 of 25 March 2026. Class A figures are guidance only and do not mean VFR is allowed in Class A. Where the transition altitude is lower than 10,000 ft, the schedule says to use FL100 instead of 10,000 ft. Note: where the appropriate ATS authority specifies it, flight visibility may be reduced to not less than 1,500 m for flights at speeds that give time to see other traffic, or where encounters are unlikely, such as low-volume areas. Check the AIP before relying on that.
Look closely at "whichever is higher". Much of highland Kenya is already above 3,000 ft above sea level on the ground. There, the test is always 1,000 ft above the terrain, so the relaxed "clear of cloud, surface in sight" rule for Class F and G applies only in the first 1,000 ft above the ground. Above that, the 5 km and 1,000 ft rule applies.
What is the extra rule inside a control zone?
Regulation 55(2) says VFR flights shall not take off or land at an aerodrome within a control zone, or enter the aerodrome traffic zone or traffic pattern, when the ceiling is less than 1,500 ft or the ground visibility is less than 5 km, except when a clearance is obtained from an air traffic control unit.
The regulations define the two words. Ceiling is the height above the ground or water of the base of the lowest layer of cloud below 6,000 m covering more than half the sky. In a METAR that means the lowest BKN or OVC layer, and the heights are above aerodrome level. Ground visibility is the visibility at the aerodrome as reported, which is the four-digit group in the METAR (9999 means 10 km or more). Flight visibility, the figure in the table, is the visibility forward from the cockpit in flight. They are different things, and a METAR cannot give you the second one.
What other VFR limits sit next to the weather minima?
| Limit | What regulation 56 says |
|---|---|
| Highest level | VFR flights shall not be operated above FL145. |
| Night | VFR flights shall not be operated at night. Night is the time from 15 minutes after sunset to 15 minutes before sunrise, and includes any time an unlighted aircraft or object cannot clearly be seen at 4,572 m. |
| Over towns and crowds | Not below 1,000 ft above the highest obstacle within 600 m (2,000 ft) of the aircraft, over congested areas or an open-air assembly of persons. |
| Elsewhere | Not below 500 ft above the ground or water, except for take-off or landing or by permission. |
Source: regulations 55 and 56 and the definition of night, Legal Notice No. 48 of 2026.
Is legal the same as safe?
No. The table is a floor. A worked example shows why. Take this constructed report: 0600Z 36006KT 8000 SCT015 BKN035. The ceiling is 3,500 ft above the aerodrome, so the control zone rule is met. But if you want to cruise 3,000 ft above the terrain (taking the ground to be near the aerodrome's level), you are only 500 ft below that cloud base, and above 1,000 ft above terrain the table asks for 1,000 ft. You must stay below about 2,500 ft above the ground, or find a way round the cloud.
Three habits keep you well clear of the floor. Set a personal minimum above the legal one with your instructor (see our personal minimums checklist). Treat dust and haze as a flight visibility problem even when the METAR looks fine (dust and haze). And never try to "just get through" a closing gap, which is the start of the chain in continued VFR into IMC.
Where does AngaBrief fit?
At the time of writing, AngaBrief puts the latest METAR and TAF it can find, as raw text, in front of the student and the instructor, with the age and distance of the station. It does not check your flight against the regulations. The student works through the numbers, and the instructor approves, asks for a revision or overrides. Request a demo to see it in a school workflow. If you are new to the report format, start with how to read a METAR.
Key takeaways
- Between 3,000 ft above sea level (or 1,000 ft above terrain) and 10,000 ft: 5 km and 1,500 m / 1,000 ft from cloud.
- Control zone: no take-off, landing or circuit below a 1,500 ft ceiling or 5 km ground visibility without an ATC clearance.
- The METAR gives ground visibility and ceiling. It cannot give flight visibility.
- No VFR above FL145 or at night.
- Legal is a floor, not a plan. Set a personal minimum above it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the VFR weather minima in Kenya?
Below 10,000 ft above sea level and above 3,000 ft above sea level (or 1,000 ft above terrain, whichever is higher), 5 km flight visibility and 1,500 m horizontally and 1,000 ft vertically clear of cloud. At and above 10,000 ft, 8 km. Lower down in Class F and G, clear of cloud with the surface in sight.
Can I fly VFR with less than 5 km visibility in Kenya?
Only where the appropriate ATS authority has specified it. The schedule allows flight visibility reduced to not less than 1,500 m for slow flights or where traffic encounters are unlikely. Do not assume it applies: check the AIP and ask your instructor.
What counts as the ceiling in the 1,500 ft rule?
The height above the ground of the lowest layer of cloud covering more than half the sky. In a METAR that is the lowest BKN or OVC layer, with heights above aerodrome level.
Is METAR visibility the same as flight visibility?
No. METAR visibility is the visibility at the aerodrome as reported. Flight visibility is what you can see forward from the cockpit in flight. Haze, low sun and rain showers can make the second worse than the first.
Can I fly VFR at night in Kenya?
The Rules of the Air say VFR flights shall not be operated at night, and define night as 15 minutes after sunset to 15 minutes before sunrise. Ask your school about any approved conditions and read the current regulations.
Where can I read the official text?
In the Civil Aviation (Rules of the Air) Regulations, 2025, Legal Notice No. 48 in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 74 of 25 March 2026: regulations 54 to 56 and the Sixth Schedule. Check with KCAA for the current consolidated version.
AngaBrief is not a dispatch authority. Final go/no-go is the pilot's decision. This article is educational and not for operational use: use the official briefing and current charts.