CrosswindWX

Section 06 / Minimums

Personal Minimums Builder

Legal minimums define the floor. Personal minimums define where you actually fly. Set yours here, then print the card and keep it in your flight bag.

What are personal minimums? The FAA's legal weather minimums are a floor, not a recommendation — they apply to current, experienced pilots in aircraft they know well. Student and low-time pilots should carry a margin above the legal floor until training and experience justify tightening those limits. Personal minimums are self-imposed limits you set now and revisit as you build hours. Reference: FAA P-8740-56 · Personal Minimums Checklist

01 · VFR Weather

Ceiling minimum
Legal floor: 1,000 ft AGL
14 CFR 91.155 (Class G, day)
2,500 ft
Visibility minimum
Legal floor: 1 SM (Class G, day)
3 SM (Class E) · 14 CFR 91.155
5 SM
Night VFR authorized
Within my personal limits

02 · IFR / Instrument Operations

Skip this section if you are not yet instrument-rated. IFR personal minimums are margins you add above published approach minimums.

Approach ceiling add-on
Added above published DH or MDA
e.g., +200 ft means ILS (DH 200 ft) → fly to 400 ft
+200 ft
Approach vis add-on
Added above published approach vis
e.g., +¼ SM above published minimums
+¼ SM
IFR / IMC operations
Only if instrument-rated · 14 CFR 61.3(e)

03 · Wind

Max crosswind
Crosswind component at landing
Use peak gust if gusts reported
10 kt
Max sustained wind
Steady-state reported wind speed
15 kt
Max gusts
Peak reported gust speed
20 kt

04 · Thunderstorm Distance

Min distance from storms
AIM 7-1-28: stay at least 20 NM clear
No safe VFR proximity to a thunderstorm
20 NM

05 · Pilot Proficiency

The "P" in PAVE. These are about you, not the weather — set them now and tighten or relax as you build experience.

Min hours in make/model
Treat a type as "familiar" only at or above this
Set higher for complex or high-performance aircraft
10 hr
Recency — max days since last flight
Beyond this gap, fly with an instructor first
FAA currency is the legal floor; this is your margin
30 days
Min landings / 90 days
Personal target above the legal 3 (14 CFR 61.57)
Full-stop landings keep your pattern sharp
6 / 90d

06 · IMSAFE — Pre-Flight Fitness

Run this every flight. Check each item you can honestly confirm — a single one left unchecked is reason to reconsider. This is a day-of self-assessment, so it is not saved or printed pre-filled.

0 of 6 confirmed — check each item you can honestly verify.

All slider and toggle values save automatically in this browser. The IMSAFE check resets each visit. Nothing is transmitted.

Print at 100% scale, then fold the sheet in half along the line — no cutting needed — and slip it into your kneeboard or flight bag.

Personal Minimums
CrosswindWX · Educational use only
VFR
Ceiling2,500 ft
Visibility5 SM
Night VFRNo
IFR
Ceiling add-on+200 ft
Vis add-on+¼ SM
IMC opsNo
Wind
Crosswind10 kt
Sustained15 kt
Gusts20 kt
Convective
Storm distance20 NM
Pilot
Hours in type10 hr
Recency limit30 days
Landings / 90d6 / 90d
Pre-flight · IMSAFE
☐ Illness☐ Medication ☐ Stress☐ Alcohol ☐ Fatigue☐ Emotion
Educational example only · Not for flight planning
CrosswindWX · personal minimums card

Currency Check

Passenger Currency

To carry passengers you must have made 3 takeoffs and landings in the preceding 90 days in the same category and class of aircraft. Night passengers require 3 full-stop landings at night (1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise). Enter the date of your 3rd most recent qualifying T&L — the oldest of the three — to check your currency. 14 CFR 61.57(a)–(b)

Day passengers · 14 CFR 61.57(a)

3 takeoffs & landings · preceding 90 days · same category and class
Touch-and-goes count for nosewheel aircraft; full stop required for tailwheel.

Enter the date of your 3rd most recent day T&L

Night passengers · 14 CFR 61.57(b)

3 full-stop landings at night · preceding 90 days · same category and class
Night = 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise.

Enter the date of your 3rd most recent night T&L

Currency dates save in this browser and update automatically each day. Always verify against your own logbook.