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VFR quick reference: the kneeboard numbers
Cruising altitudes, fuel, right-of-way, the light-gun table, and the two equipment lists — every cell quoted from the regulation, not summarised. Two deliberate choices: the cruising rule keys to magnetic course, never heading, and the transponder and ADS-B lists stay separate, because they are not the same rule. The § 91.155 weather table is deliberately not here — the whole thing, cell for cell, is on the airspace sheet.
1 · VFR cruising altitudes
§ 91.159 · magnetic course, above 3,000 AGL
REGULATION“Except while holding in a holding pattern of 2 minutes or less, or while turning, each person operating an aircraft under VFR in level cruising flight more than 3,000 feet above the surface shall maintain the appropriate altitude or flight level prescribed below, unless otherwise authorized by ATC:”
“(a) When operating below 18,000 feet MSL and—”
| Magnetic course (never heading) | VFR cruising altitude |
|---|---|
| On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees(a)(1) | any odd thousand foot MSL altitude + 500 feet (such as 3,500, 5,500, or 7,500) |
| On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees(a)(2) | any even thousand foot MSL altitude + 500 feet (such as 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500) |
“(b) When operating above 18,000 feet MSL, maintain the altitude or flight level assigned by ATC.”
Working out the magnetic course for a leg is what the flight computer is for — true course, variation, and the wind triangle in one place.
2 · VFR fuel
§ 91.151(a) · 30 day / 45 night
REGULATION“(a) No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR conditions unless (considering wind and forecast weather conditions) there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruising speed—”
- “(1) During the day, to fly after that for at least 30 minutes; or”
- “(2) At night, to fly after that for at least 45 minutes.”
3 · Right-of-way
§ 91.113(b)–(g) · the regulation's own order
REGULATION- § 91.113(b)“(b) General. When weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. When a rule of this section gives another aircraft the right-of-way, the pilot shall give way to that aircraft and may not pass over, under, or ahead of it unless well clear.”
- § 91.113(c)“(c) In distress. An aircraft in distress has the right-of-way over all other air traffic.”
- § 91.113(d)“(d) Converging. When aircraft of the same category are converging at approximately the same altitude (except head-on, or nearly so), the aircraft to the other's right has the right-of-way. If the aircraft are of different categories— (1) A balloon has the right-of-way over any other category of aircraft; (2) A glider has the right-of-way over powered aircraft. (3) An airship has the right-of-way over all other powered aircraft, except for an aircraft towing or refueling other aircraft. (4) An aircraft towing or refueling other aircraft has the right-of-way over all other powered aircraft.”
- § 91.113(e)“(e) Approaching head-on. When aircraft are approaching each other head-on, or nearly so, each pilot of each aircraft shall alter course to the right.”
- § 91.113(f)“(f) Overtaking. Each aircraft that is being overtaken has the right-of-way and each pilot of an overtaking aircraft shall alter course to the right to pass well clear.”
- § 91.113(g)“(g) Landing. Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed and is attempting to make way for an aircraft on final approach. When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.”
4 · ATC light signals — all six
§ 91.125
REGULATION“ATC light signals have the meaning shown in the following table:”
| Color and type of signal | Meaning with respect to aircraft on the surface | Meaning with respect to aircraft in flight |
|---|---|---|
| Steady green | Cleared for takeoff | Cleared to land. |
| Flashing green | Cleared to taxi | Return for landing (to be followed by steady green at proper time). |
| Steady red | Stop | Give way to other aircraft and continue circling. |
| Flashing red | Taxi clear of runway in use | Airport unsafe—do not land. |
| Flashing white | Return to starting point on airport | Not applicable. |
| Alternating red and green | Exercise extreme caution | Exercise extreme caution. |
5 · Transponder + Mode C
§ 91.215(b)
REGULATION- “(1) All aircraft. In Class A, Class B, and Class C airspace areas;”
- “(2) All aircraft. In all airspace within 30 nautical miles of an airport listed in appendix D, section 1 of this part from the surface upward to 10,000 feet MSL;”
- “(4) All aircraft in all airspace above the ceiling and within the lateral boundaries of a Class B or Class C airspace area designated for an airport upward to 10,000 feet MSL; and”
- “(5) All aircraft except any aircraft which was not originally certificated with an engine-driven electrical system or which has not subsequently been certified with such a system installed, balloon, or glider—”
- “(i) In all airspace of the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia at and above 10,000 feet MSL, excluding the airspace at and below 2,500 feet above the surface; and”
- “(ii) In the airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL within a 10-nautical-mile radius of any airport listed in appendix D, section 2 of this part, excluding the airspace below 1,200 feet outside of the lateral boundaries of the surface area of the airspace designated for that airport.”
Not shown: § 91.215(b)(3), which is relief rather than a requirement — aircraft never certificated with an engine-driven electrical system, balloons and gliders may operate inside the Mode C veil under its conditions. Read it in full before relying on it.
6 · ADS-B Out — a separate rule
§ 91.225(a), (d)
REGULATION- “(a) After January 1, 2020, unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft in Class A airspace unless the aircraft has equipment installed that—”
- “(d) After January 1, 2020, except as prohibited in paragraph (h)(2) of this section or unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person may operate an aircraft in the following airspace unless the aircraft has equipment installed that meets the requirements in paragraph (b) of this section:”
- “(1) Class B and Class C airspace areas;”
- “(2) Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section, within 30 nautical miles of an airport listed in appendix D, section 1 to this part from the surface upward to 10,000 feet MSL;”
- “(3) Above the ceiling and within the lateral boundaries of a Class B or Class C airspace area designated for an airport upward to 10,000 feet MSL;”
- “(4) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, Class E airspace within the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia at and above 10,000 feet MSL, excluding the airspace at and below 2,500 feet above the surface; and”
- “(5) Class E airspace at and above 3,000 feet MSL over the Gulf of Mexico from the coastline of the United States out to 12 nautical miles.”
Goes with this card
- Airspace: entry, equipment, minimums — the complete § 91.155 weather table, cell for cell, that this card deliberately leaves off.
- Flight computer — work out the magnetic course that picks your § 91.159 altitude.
Badges.REGULATION quoted from 14 or 49 CFR.FAA GUIDANCE quoted from the AIM, an AC, or an FAA handbook — advice, not law.POH/AFM your aircraft’s own records govern.TECHNIQUE our voice — how to think about it.Text outside quotation marks is ours, whatever badge sits nearby.
Source. 14 CFR §§ 91.113, 91.125, 91.151, 91.159, 91.215 and 91.225, quoted verbatim from the electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, issue date 2026-08-24, retrieved 2026-08-31. Every retrieved XML artifact was hashed (SHA-256) and every hash independently reproduced by a second retrieval; the hashes are recorded in this page’s source.
This is a study aid, not a clearance. The § 91.155 VFR weather-minimums table is deliberately not on this card — the complete table is at /printables/airspace. Verify against the regulation itself before you rely on anything here.
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