If you experience lost communications in VMC conditions, are you required to land at the nearest suitable airport?

If you experience lost communications in VMC conditions, are you required to land at the nearest suitable airport?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if fuel is critical
• D. Not specified

Answer: (B)

When you lose communications in visual conditions, you’re not required to divert to the nearest airport. The guidance for VFR flight is to continue the flight and land as soon as practicable. This means you proceed with your planned route and destination as appropriate, using good judgment to land at a suitable airport when conditions and safety allow. The key idea is flexibility: you don’t have to go to the nearest airport just because you’ve lost radio contact. If continuing to your destination is safe and practical, that’s acceptable; you’d land at a convenient, suitable airport when you can do so safely. Fuel considerations don’t mandate an automatic nearest-airport diversion, though they may influence your timing.

When you lose communications in visual conditions, you’re not required to divert to the nearest airport. The guidance for VFR flight is to continue the flight and land as soon as practicable. This means you proceed with your planned route and destination as appropriate, using good judgment to land at a suitable airport when conditions and safety allow. The key idea is flexibility: you don’t have to go to the nearest airport just because you’ve lost radio contact. If continuing to your destination is safe and practical, that’s acceptable; you’d land at a convenient, suitable airport when you can do so safely. Fuel considerations don’t mandate an automatic nearest-airport diversion, though they may influence your timing.