VFR and IFR compared

The most common misconception: that VFR means "good weather" and IFR means "bad weather". They are in fact two sets of rules. You can fly under instrument flight rules in brilliant sunshine – and people routinely do.

Applicability: European Union (rules of the air) with national additions; the figures on this page are taken from the German AIP
Rulemaking authority: Aeronautical Information Publication Germany – AIP VFR (DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH), effective 20 AUG 2026, ENR 1-3; Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 for the licensing side
Reviewed by NorthTrack on: 2026-09-13

The heart of the difference

Basis for navigation and obstacle avoidance
VFR – visual flight rules: Visual reference outside; see and avoid · IFR – instrument flight rules: Instruments and published procedures
Weather condition
VFR – visual flight rules: VMC must be maintained · IFR – instrument flight rules: no visibility requirement en route; minima apply to the approach
Routing
VFR – visual flight rules: in principle freely chosen within the airspace structure · IFR – instrument flight rules: as cleared, normally on published procedures and routes
Relationship with air traffic control
VFR – visual flight rules: from "none at all" to "clearance required", depending on airspace class · IFR – instrument flight rules: continuously integrated
Licensing requirement
VFR – visual flight rules: pilot licence with a valid class or type rating · IFR – instrument flight rules: additionally an IR or BIR

Four abbreviations not to confuse

VFR — Visual Flight Rules
A set of rules, not a weather condition.
IFR — Instrument Flight Rules
Flight on clearances and published procedures.
VMC — Visual Meteorological Conditions
The conditions under which VFR flight is permitted.
CVFR — Controlled VFR flight
A VFR flight operated on an air traffic control clearance.

VMC minima are not a detail

VMC minima are a condition of legality, not a recommendation. They depend on airspace class and altitude, and in Germany they range from 8 km flight visibility with 1,500 m horizontal and 1,000 ft vertical cloud clearance down to 1.5 km flight visibility, clear of cloud and with the surface in sight, at no more than 140 kt IAS. The full table is on airspace classes in Germany.

The most dangerous transition
Continuing VFR into conditions that no longer permit visual flight is among the best-documented accident causes in general aviation. It rarely happens as a decision; usually it is a chain of small compromises. Personal minima set before the flight are the most effective countermeasure.

What IFR is not

Not a licence to fly in any weather. Icing, thunderstorms and operating minima limit IFR just as much.
Not purely a licensing question. The aircraft, its equipment and its certification must also be suitable for IFR.
Not a single route. Europe offers several routes to instrument flying with different privileges – the BIR has expressly narrower operating limits than a full IR.

What both have in common

The same airspace structure – VFR and IFR move through the same airspace.
The same altimeter rules and the same semicircular rule, with different values.
The same weather reports – METAR, TAF and SIGMET are identical for both sets of rules.

Official sources

DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH: Aeronautical Information Publication Germany – AIP VFR – Effective 20 AUG 2026. Open source (retrieved 2026-09-13)
DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH: Aeronautical Information Publication Germany – AIP VFR, GEN 2-1 to GEN 2-7 "Abkürzungen / Abbreviations" (bilingual German/English) – Effective 20 AUG 2026. Open source (retrieved 2026-09-13)
European Commission / EASA: Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 (Annex I "Part-FCL", Annex IV "Part-MED") – Consolidated version 02011R1178-20260430. Open source (retrieved 2026-09-13)