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The weather briefing looked great-- skies clear, above 10,000 everywhere else around, winds 3 knots or less everywhere, visibility 10 miles or more. (My minimums per my instructor are ceiling 3000, wind 10 knots, visibility 7 miles). I had gotten tied up at work, and took off later than I had been planning. Wanting to be back before dark, I gave up on the idea of going to the practice area, and decided to just go from GAI to FDK and back. I took off on runway 14, and headed northwest from the downwind leg. The haze began at 600 feet agl, and as I climbed above 1600' the haze was really thick. I could see the ground, but it was pretty bad-- I couldn't see Sugarloaf mountain at all, just sort of a shadow where it should have been. I could see the sun when I was on the ground, but I couldn't see it at all from up in the air. Looking straight ahead at 2000 feet, it was just white, and I could only see the ground ahead by looking down about 30 degrees. I contemplated turning back before I was 5 miles from GAI, but I wasn't sure how to deal with ATC since I was on an ADIZ flight plan. I figured being on a flight plan to exit the ADIZ, it would be a bad thing to make a U-turn and head for GAI and the FRZ. First Question: What should I have done with ATC to turn back to GAI?

I was probably little more than 1-2 miles from FDK before I could definitely identify it visually. After landing, I climbed out from Frederick and headed east to try to get my clearance to get back into the ADIZ. It took more than 10 minutes for ATC to find my flight plan and get me a code. So I made a beeline for GAI using the ADF, with VOR fences set up.

The sun was (theoretically) above the horizon still, but I couldn't see anything. The skies were never clear as FSS had said, and the overcast must have been dropping and thickening. Whatever the cause, between the haze and the overcast, it was nearly dark. I stayed at 2100 feet (the minimum safe altitude marked on the chart), and I could see the ground, but my forward visibility of the ground was probably no more than a mile, maybe two at the most. When the VORs said I was at GAI, I still couldn't see it, and that's when I really started to worry. The ADF was still pointing straight ahead, so I kept flying south (I couldn't get the DME to work), but I was really starting to worry about getting lost in the haze and increasing darkness, and the DC FRZ is only a few miles from GAI. I could hear the traffic at Gaithersburg, and there were three planes in the pattern. So I stayed at 2100 feet and had every light turned on, because with the low visibility at my altitude, I was worried that I'd fly right through the traffic pattern without seeing the airport first.

I finally identified the airport when I was almost on top of the downwind leg, circled out and down, joined the pattern and landed just fine. But I was so rattled that after I pulled off the runway I realized that I had completely skipped my pre-landing checklist and had never turned on the carb heat. I think that's why the flight is bothering me so much-- because I skipped the checklist, forgot to do something important, and if it hadn't been carb heat it could have been something even more dangerous.

So here are the rest of my questions:

Is there any way before a flight to determine visibility up in the air? Ground-level visibility was reported everywhere as being more than 10 miles, but I bet it was no more than 3 miles (and probably less) at 2000 feet.

If the reported conditions are above VFR minimums, but the visibility up in the air is below, how do I determine whether it's within VFR minimums?

Similarly, if the reported conditions are above my minimums, but the visibility at altitude is below my minimums (i.e., less than 7 miles), am I in some sort of violation?

What's the difference between thick haze and clouds? Local pilots 9Washington, DC area) have said "nothing." It seems like haze could put you in IMC just as well as clouds. I was low enough that I never lost sight of the ground, and the conditions were reported as VFR, but I'll bet there would have been no visual cues if I'd been much higher or above water or if it was any darker. Makes me think of JFK Jr.

Is there anything here you can see that I definitely did wrong or should have done differently (other than skip my pre-landing checklist and forget to use carb heat)?

Not flying again in haze or low light until I have a gps in the plane.

I dont think a GPS is the answer to your issue with flying in low vis. An Instrument Rating, now that would actually help you out. If you cant see whats in front of you, a GPS is not going to make it magically appear. In fact it will make it harder to see what is in front of you because you will be looking at the GPS!

As far as the difference between thick haze and clouds, there is none. If you cant control the aircraft by visual reference to the ground then you cant, no ifs ands or buts. Consider yourself in IMC, whatever the flavor, and figure out how to get out of it. You seem to have managed pretty well for this trip.

Im totally unfamiliar with ADIZ stuff, but I imagine that asking ATC for a turn back to GAI due to low visibility wouldve worked. I would like to think that the controllers out there are people too, like the ones in the midwest here, but like I said, im an ADIZ virgin (Thank God!)

thanks for sharing! It is good to share this kind of stuff so others can learn.

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Everyone must believe in something, I believe that I will go flying.

Hi...thanks for sharing your story. This is a perfect example of the chain of events that occur often before an accident. And we all know that we have been at some point of that chain before and it's about being able to recognize and breaking it. It's really important that we share these things around.
To answer your questions...

Pilot reports are critical, and this is why. Had you been in a more comfortable position, this would have been great opportunity to share with other pilots contemplating the same thing you were just an hour ago.

Visibility is visibility regardless of haze/fog/clouds/smoke. Because weather is always changing, the forecast/report are only for your reference and it's up to you to determine what it is during your flight, and that is what you are responsible for. So...good question, how does one determine visibility in the air? Something to think about in your local area. Is there a reference point ... mountain/hilltop/tower that you can look at as you depart? (Sugarloaf Mountain is how far from your airport?) Chances are if you are questioning it, it is below your minimums. So...if your minimums are 7 SM, probably you were in violation. An interesting point from Instrument Flight Rules, when you are landing on an approach, the reported visibility is also a guideline. When you actually break out and are landing, it is up to you to confirm that you have the visibility required to land. ie, you should know your lighting systems/runways markings so you can confirm vis and know that you are legal.

Tony is absolutely right here, GPS is not going to help you here. Making sound decisions so that you aren't relying on GPS will. Instrument Rating will.

I, too, am unfamiliar with ADIZ, but essentially, ATC is there to help facilitate your flight. If you are getting into conditions that are not to your liking, and possibly unsafe, and not legal...then absolutely, tell them you need to turn around. Tell them the situation. As Tony said, they are people too. Do not let the intimidation of talking to ATC deter you from making the safest decision.

It sounds like you learned a lot from this, and my only other thought is to be aware of the process that you experienced here and try to recognize it a little sooner. As soon as the visibility decreased, make the decision to go home. I know landing at another airport and not being able to return is an inconvenience, but certainly one that would seem ridiculously inconsequential if something more serious had occured. And so taking off again, knowing the conditions were poor, the light was getting low...maybe not a good idea. As you can see, a lot of little things started to add up...leading to no pre-landing checklist.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us all, and I hope that we take something. I have a couple of stories myself...which of course will share in due time

Take care and fly safe.
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I flew to OSH from CA and thru some nasty haze out in Ohio and the GPS was an awesome help in making the trip. Yes I could have flown it IFR, out in the flats, but even when I had good VFR, it was great to have an accurate map of where I am and where I'm going and when I'll be there. I had all the sectionals of course and followed along on the paper as a back up, but the GPS gave me added confidence that got me to where I needed to be. GPS is a tool and very accurate as well which in these situations are vital.

On a similar note I flew from Vegas to Burbank and had 40 mile visiblity until I crossed the mountins into the valley. Visibility dropped to 3-5 miles and without the GPS I would have been scrambling to find the airport. With the destination in the GPS it showed the extended centerline and I waited until I was almost on it and then turned final, all without ever seeing the runway. Reported a 4 mile final and then saw the runway.

Not having to constantly calculate, do math, and plot on the sectional my position was PRICELESS. Let the GPS do it as it is much better at it, and the moving map is worth it.

this sooooo reminds me of what Jame's has mentioned in the main discussion forum....

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[size=0]Pilot James McDuigue Flight Arrival Heathrow Airport[/size]