Sucker Holes

If you're a pilot, you're probably familiar with the term sucker hole.

In the United States, it's legal for a non-instrument rated pilot to operate in VFR (visual flight rules) conditions above clouds, but to get there you need a clear path to get up and down. A sucker hole can provide the means, but it isn't always the safest thing to do. Once through the hole, it might close behind you, making a later descent very problematic. Non-instrument rated pilots can become easily disoriented in clouds. Besides, it is illegal.

In Canada, VFR above the clouds is not permitted. You must be an IFR (instrument flight rules) certified pilot on an IFR flight plan to fly above the clouds, even if it is clear up there. -- Margy