VFR in Finland
Weather minima
The minimum weather conditions where an aircraft can fly under Visual Flight Rules is described in the table below.
| Airspace class | Minimum visibility | Minimum cloud ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| D (Control Zone) | 5 km | BKN or OVC 1000 ft |
| For Special VFR, the minima may be reduced to: | ||
| D (Control Zone) | 1500 m | BKN or OVC 600 ft |
- All Control Zones in Finland are
Dairspace - Check ilmailusaa.fi for weather information
Pilots may also fly in IMC conditions. It is recommended to add RMK/SIMULATED VMC to the flight plan.
Charts
- eAIP Finland
- From the left menu, navigate to
AD 2for controlled aerodromes - VAC charts are the most useful ones for VFR flying
- From the left menu, navigate to
- lentopaikat.fi
- Information about uncontrolled aerodromes
- flyk.com or Fintraffic Sky
- Interactive maps with airspace and weather information
- Local TRA Charts
- Local Training Areas around airports (in CTR and TMA)
Charts provide the pilots essential information for the flight such as:
- Traffic circuit direction and altitude
- Visual Reporting Points
- Airspace structure, vertical limits, holding areas
- landmarks for visual navigation
- Apron locations, ground layout
Flight Plan
Origin and Destination
Use the ICAO four-letter code e.g. EFOU in the departure and destination fields. If the aerodrome does not have a code, use ZZZZ and specify the aerodrome location in the REMARK field e.g. DEP/KORVATUNTURI or DEST/601542N0193819E.
Route Field
The entries below can be used in the Flight Plan Route field
| ROUTE Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| OULU CTR | Flight staying within the Control Zone |
| LOIMAA FORSSA | Aerodrome or destination location in plain language |
| TC | Traffic Circuit. You may specify the type and amount of landings in the REMARK field, e.g. RMK/2TGL 1SL 1FS |
| TA | Training Area. If you request a certain area, you may insert the name to the REMARK field e.g. RMK/TRAJY04. Check V-LARA Airspace Reservation if you wish to reserve an airspace block. |
| LINTU | Visual Reporting Points used when entering or exiting the Control Zone. Pilots should plan the flights via the VRP's as they are establihsed for noise abatement. |
Remarks Field
The following entries can be used in the Flight Plan Remarks field (RMK/...)
| RMK/ | Explanation |
|---|---|
| FS | Full Stop Landing |
| LA | Low Approach |
| TGL | Touch and Go Landing |
| SL | Spot Landing |
| PFL | Practiced Forced Landing |
| PFLR | Practiced Forced Landing back to Runway |
| VFR ON TOP | For a VFR flight to be operated on top of clouds |
| DEP EFOU | Activating VFR flight plan shall be done by radio to the ATS unit whose area of responsibility the aerodrome is located |
| ARR EFTP | Closing VFR flight plan shall be done by radio to the ATS unit whose area of responsibility the aerodrome is located |
| DEP EFIN | Flight plan activation or closure is intended to be given to the EFIN ACC by radio |
| DEP ARR EFRO | Flight plan activation and closure is intended to Rovaniemi ATS by radio |
| FPL CLOSING KUKSA EFRO | Flight plan closing at the boundary of controlled airspace |
Local Traffic Circuit
Local Traffic Circuit is a standardised flight path in the immediate vicinity of an aerodrome used mainly by General Aviation VFR flights.
Every controlled aerodrome has its own Visual Approach Chart (VAC) which includes essential information for flights in the Control Zone. Before your flight, you need to have a general understanding of the traffic circuit legs illustrated below:
Always use left turns unless otherwise instructed by ATC.
Pilots shall always report when on downwind, e.g. O-ME, DOWNWIND RUNWAY 30, TOUCH AND GO. If no clearance has been received, pilots shall also report when established on the final leg.
Flight Plan Example
(FPL-OHCME-VG
-C172/L-FOV/C
-EFOU0730
-N0100A013 TC
-EFOU0100
-DOF/250516 RMK/2TGL 1SL 1FS)
- In the example above, the pilot will perform 2 touch-and-go landings, 1 spot-landing and 1 full-stop-landing.
Phraseology Example
| 👨🏻✈️ | OULU TOWER, OH-CME
OULUN TORNI, OH-CME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, OULU TOWER
O-ME, OULUN TORNI |
| 👨🏻✈️ | O-ME, CESSNA 172, APRON 3, INFORMATION M, QNH 1011, REQUEST TAXI
O-ME, CESSNA 172, ASEMATASOLLA 3, TIEDOTUS M, QNH 1011, PYYDÄN RULLATA |
| 🎧 | O-ME, TAXI TO HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 30, CLEARED TRAFFIC CIRCUIT, 1300 FEET OR BELOW, SQUAWK 2611
O-ME, RULLAA ODOTUSPAIKALLE KIITOTIE 30, SELVÄ LASKUKIERROKSEEN, 1300 JALKAA TAI ALAPUOLELLA, KOODAA 2611 |
| 👨🏻✈️ | TAXI TO HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 30, CLEARED TRAFFIC CIRCUIT, 1300 FEET OR BELOW, SQUAWK 2611, O-ME
RULLAAN ODOTUSPAIKALLE KIITOTIE 30, SELVÄ LASKUKIERROKSEEN, 1300 JALKAA TAI ALAPUOLELLA, KOODAAN 2611, O-ME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, LINEUP RUNWAY 30
O-ME, SIIRRY KIITOTIELLE 30 |
| 👨🏻✈️ | LINING UP RUNWAY 30, O-ME
SIIRRYN KIITOTIELLE 30, O-ME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, WIND CALM, RUNWAY 30 CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF, RIGHT TURN
O-ME, TUULI TYYNTÄ, KIITOTIE 30 SELVÄ LENTOONLÄHTÖÖN, OIKEA KAARTO |
| 👨🏻✈️ | CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF RUNWAY 30, RIGHT TURN, O-ME
SELVÄ LENTOONLÄHTÖÖN KIITOTIE 30, OIKEA KAARTO, O-ME |
| 👨🏻✈️ | O-ME, RIGHT DOWNWIND RUNWAY 30, TOUCH AND GO
O-ME, OIKEA MYÖTÄTUULI KIITOTIE 30, LÄPILASKU |
| 🎧 | O-ME, WIND VARIABLE 2 KNOTS, RUNWAY 30 CLEARED FOR TOUCH AND GO, LEFT TURN
O-ME, TUULI VAIHTELEE 2 SOLMUA, KIITOTIE 30 SELVÄ LÄPILASKUUN, VASEN KAARTO |
| 👨🏻✈️ | CLEARED FOR TOUCH AND GO RUNWAY 30, LEFT TURN, O-ME
SELVÄ LÄPILASKUUN KIITOTIE 30, VASEN KAARTO, O-ME |
Leaving from Control Zone
Flight Plan Example
(FPL-OHCME-VG
-C172/L-FOV/C
-EFOU0730
-N0100A013 TC UNILO
-EFAH0100
-DOF/250516 RMK/EFOU 2TGL)
- In the example above, the pilot will perform 2 touch-and-go landings in Oulu which after the aircraft will leave the control zone via Unilo towards the destination EFAH (Ahmosuo).
Phraseology Example
| 👨🏻✈️ | O-ME, DOWNWIND RUNWAY 30, TOUCH AND GO, WHICH AFTER REQUESTING TO LEAVE CONTROL ZONE VIA UNILO
O-ME, MYÖTÄTUULI KIITOTIE 30, LÄPILASKU JONKA JÄLKEEN PYYDÄN JÄTTÄÄ LÄHIALUEEN UNILON KAUTTA |
| 🎧 | O-ME, AFTER TOUCH AND GO LEAVE CONTROL ZONE VIA UNILO, WIND CALM, RUNWAY 30 CLEARED TOUCH AND GO, RIGHT TURN
O-ME, LÄPILASKUN JÄLKEEN JÄTÄ LÄHIALUE UNILON KAUTTA, TUULI TYYNTÄ, KIITOTIE 30 SELVÄ LÄPILASKUUN, OIKEA KAARTO |
| 👨🏻✈️ | AFTER TOUCH AND GO, LEAVE CONTROL ZONE VIA UNILO, CLEARED FOR TOUCH AND GO RUNWAY 30, RIGHT TURN, O-ME
LÄPILASKUN JÄLKEEN JÄTÄN LÄHIALUEEN UNILON KAUTTA, SELVÄ LÄPILASKUUN KIITOTIE 30, OIKEA KAARTO, O-ME |
| 👨🏻✈️ | O-ME, UNILO OUTBOUND
O-ME, UNILO ULOS |
| 🎧 | O-ME
O-ME |
You may now change the frequency. Please bare in mind altitude limits of the Terminal Area which is located above the uncontrolled airspace. The limits can be easily checked from flyk.fi map.
ATC may also give clearance to LEAVE CONTROL ZONE DIRECT EN-ROUTE or LEAVE CONTROL ZONE TOWARDS AHMOSUO. In that case you may fly direct towards your destination. Remember to report O-ME, CONTROL ZONE BOUNDARY OUTBOUND when leaving the Control Zone.
Entering to Control Zone
Flight Plan Example
(FPL-OHCME-VG
-C172/L-FOV/C
-EFAH0730
-N0100A013 UNILO TC
-EFOU0020
-DOF/250516 RMK/1SL)
- In the example above, the pilot will enter the control zone via Unilo and perform 1 spot-landing and 1 full-stop-landing
- Arriving VFR aircraft is always given clearance to a part of the traffic circuit if the traffic situation permits
- Contact Tower about 5 minutes before entering the Control Zone
Phraseology Example
| 👨🏻✈️ | OULU TOWER, OH-CME
OULUN TORNI, OH-CME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, OULU TOWER
O-ME, OULUN TORNI |
| 👨🏻✈️ | O-ME, DEPARTED FROM AHMOSUO, 1000 FEET, 5 MINUTES FROM UNILO, INFORMATION M
O-ME, LÄHTÖ AHMOSUOLTA, 1000 JALKAA, ARVIO UNILOON 5 MINUUTTIA, TIEDOTUS M |
| 🎧 | O-ME, VIA UNILO JOIN RIGHT BASE LEG RUNWAY 30, 1300 FEET OR BELOW, QNH 1011
O-ME, UNILON KAUTTA LIITY OIKEAAN MYÖTÄTUULEEN KIITOTIE 30, 1300 JALKAA TAI ALAPUOLELLA, QNH 1011 |
| 👨🏻✈️ | VIA UNILO JOIN RIGHT BASE LEG RUNWAY 30, 1300 FEET OR BELOW, QNH 1011, O-ME
UNILON KAUTTA LIITYN OIKEALLE PERUSOSALLE KIITOTIE 30, 1300 JALKAA TAI ALAPUOLELLA, QNH 1011, O-ME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, COMMENCE SPOT LANDING
O-ME, SUORITA MAALIINLASKU |
| 👨🏻✈️ | COMMENCING SPOT LANDING, O-ME
SUORITAN MAALIINLASKUN, O-ME |
| 🎧 | O-ME, WIND CALM, RUNWAY 30 CLEARED TO LAND
O-ME, TUULI TYYNTÄ, KIITOTIE 30 SELVÄ LASKUUN |
| 👨🏻✈️ | CLEARED TO LAND RUNWAY 30, O-ME
SELVÄ LASKUUN KIITOTIE 30, O-ME |
Flights to TMA
Flight Plan Example
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Phraseology Example
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