What percentage of days are VFR?

[Cluemeister]

Question for you Sport Pilots. How often do you cancel planned potential flights? How many flying days are there a year for you? I know it varies by area, but would you say you could fly 90% of days or 50% or what number?

[roger lee]

This is highly dependent on where you live. We have 300+ days of good flying weather in the Tucson, AZ area. If you don't care about the wind speed make that 320. We have a military field just north of us that trains all kinds of government agencies just because of this.
Go to the west coast where there is more rain and fog. Same with the east coast. Then go places like Kansas with higher than normal windy days. Go to the snow country and winter plays a big part.

So wherever you live in the world will dictate how many good days of flying you get.

[Nomore767]

Once I know its VFR I still may cancel for wind and/or turbulence. LSAs are lighter than other GA planes with lighter wing loading. Being bounced around in the thermals on a nice sunny VFR day isn't always my idea of fun.
For that reason I may elect to get up really early and fly right after sunrise, or perhaps right before sunset. Its calmer, quieter in terms of local traffic, and more peaceful.

If you're contemplating a long cross country then you obviously have to consider the weather along your route, and consider alternatives. You have to consider an 'out' and maybe wether you can return and fly another day.
Passengers don't often see it this way and compared to the schedule reliability of the airlines, thumb their noses at 'unreliable' small planes, especially if they see its sunny but you feel you can't go.
Sport flying, by definition is more limited than flying as a PPL. For me that's the kind of flying I like to do these days. I'm flexible and since it's usually me flying alone I only have to satisfy myself.
To get more utility from flying smaller planes getting a PPL and adding an instrument rating will open your options especially if you plan to travel longer distances and have made fixed plans.

Then of course there's VFR...great VFR, okay VFR or marginal VFR? Turbulence, wind, rain etc can all occur when it's still VFR so it's the pilot in command who decides whether the flight is doable under their own, and sport flight, limitations.

Just my opinion.

[Flocker]

For that reason I may elect to get up really early and fly right after sunrise, or perhaps right before sunset. Its calmer, quieter in terms of local traffic, and more peaceful.

+1

[3Dreaming]

Right now it is 300 foot overcast and 2 miles here, so not the best time to answer the question.

As Roger pointed out where you are is a big factor. Also how flexible you are as to when you can go is a factor. Around here there are quite a few days through the year where there is part of the day that you can't fly, but things will clear up for a few hours throughout the day. Seasons will also have a factor on the weather. I have a student who can only fly Saturday mornings because of work. This time of year due to the weather patterns if it is bad on one Saturday it may be bad 5 Saturdays in a row, because we are in a weekly weather pattern. This is where the wives tale that if it rains on Easter it will rain for the following 7 Sundays.

[Flocker]

How often do you cancel planned potential flights? How many flying days are there a year for you?

You'll cancel flights - it's the nature of the beast. You get used to it. Semper gumby.

[MrMorden]

Probably 70% are somewhat VFR.

Unless I have the time and inclination to fly. 5% of those days are VFR.

[MrMorden]

Semper gumby.

Always pliable?

[Flocker]

I know it varies by area

I bet there is some sort of Farmers Almanac chart that would tell you how many days per year high pressure dominates a particular region...

[Flocker]

Semper gumby.

Always pliable?

Old phrase from my days in the Corps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semper_Gumby

[Flocker]

Weather History by Date Range & Location

http://store.almanac.com/product/weathe ... e-location

[SportPilot]

.......

[Flocker]

Another point to consider is personal minimums. Your CFI will help you establish these. As you gain experience, they will change. I definitely cancelled more flights in the early days than I do now.