Description

VFR over-the-top (VFR OTT) means that a portion of the flight is conducted over the top of the cloud layer (i.e. without ground reference) while in accordance with visual flight rules. The procedure is different to VFR on Top, which is applicable to IFR flights.

VFR OTT is not an ICAO procedure. Annex II: Rules of the Air sets a requirement that the surface should be in sight only for flights below 3000 ft AMSL / 1000 ft above terrain (whichever is higher) and only in Airspace classes F and G. For all other situations a horizontal (1500 m) and a vertical (300 ft) clearances from the clouds are prescribed.

Some countries, e.g. Canada (CAR 602.116) and Germany (LuftVO, para 32), however, impose additional restrictions on VFR flights, e.g. stating that these must not be conducted unless there is visual reference to the surface and allow VFR OTT if additional conditions are met. For Canada these are: