help_gafor_data
GAFOR Switzerland
GAFOR Switzerland informs about the weather conditions to be expected (visibility/ceiling) on the major visual flight rules (VFR) routes of Switzerland.
| Time of Issue | Validity |
| 03:45 UTC* | 04:00-10:00 UTC *only during CEST |
| 05:45 UTC** | 04:00-10:00 UTC **only outside CEST |
| 07:45 UTC | 08:00-14:00 UTC |
| 11:45 UTC | 12:00-18:00 UTC |
| 15:45 UTC* | 16:00-22:00 UTC *only during CEST |
CEST=Central European Summer Time
The validity is split into three periods of 2 hours each. For each period the expected weather category is indicated.
Weather Categories
| Visibility | ||||
|
Ceiling |
< 2 km |
2 km |
5 km |
8 km |
|
2000FT |
X |
M |
D |
O |
|
1500FT |
X |
M |
D |
D |
|
1000FT |
X |
M |
M |
M |
|
< 1000FT |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Definition Ceiling: lowest cloud level (with same base) with coverage of at least 5/8.
Interpretation of weather categories
| O Open | no restriction to visual flight rules operations regarding weather |
| D Difficult | pilots trained in visual navigation can still fly |
| M Marginal | very well-trained and experienced pilots with detailed knowledge of the area may still fly |
| X Closed | visual flight rules operations no longer possible |
VFR Routes
Route and Reference Altitude* (ft AMSL):
01 Basel - Schaffhausen 1600ft
02 Schaffhausen - Altenrhein 1600ft
11 Geneve - Morges - Grenchen 1900ft
12 Grenchen - Bremgarten - Zurich 1900ft
13 Zurich - Attikon - Altenrhein 1900ft
21 Montreux - Romont - Fribourg - Neuenegg - Bern 2900ft
22 Bern - Sursee - Bremgarten - Zurich 2900ft
32 Spiez - Meiringen 1900ft
33 Meiringen - Brunig - Kussnacht - Goldau 3600ft
41 Geneve - Montreux 1600ft
42 Montreux - Sion 1600ft
43 Sion - Brig 2300ft
44 Brig - Simplonpass - Domodossola 6800ft
45 Domodossola - Luino - Lugano 1600ft
51 Basel - Langenbruck - Grenchen 2600ft
52 Grenchen - Bern - Spiez 1900ft
53 Spiez - Gemmipass - Sion 7700ft
61 Meiringen - Grimselpass - Brig 7200ft
71 Zurich - Bremgarten - Goldau 1900ft
72 Goldau - Gotthardpass - Biasca 7200ft
73 Biasca - Lugano 1900ft
81 Zurich - Horgen - Weesen 1600ft
82 Weesen - Ragaz 1600ft
83 Ragaz - Lukmanierpass - Biasca 6500ft
91 Altenrhein - Ragaz 1600ft
92 Ragaz - Lenzerheide - Julierpass - Samedan 7500ft
93 Samedan - Malojapass - Menaggio - Lugano 6200ft
Summary of routes
00 Basel - Schaffhausen - Altenrhein
10 Genève - Grenchen - Zürich - Altenrhein
20 Montreux - Bern - Zürich
30 Spiez - Meiringen - Brünig - Goldau
40 Genève - Simplonpass - Domodossola - Lugano
50 Basel - Gemmipass - Sion
70 Zürich - Gotthardpass - Lugano
80 Zürich - Lukmanierpass - Biasca
90 Altenrhein - Julierpass - Malojapass - Lugano
99 All Routes
*Reference Altitude = Highest point on route, for example mountain pass.