What does exercising VFR OTT privileges mean?

Exercising VFR OTT (Visual Flight Rules Over-the-Top) privileges specifically allows pilots to operate an aircraft overclouds without relying on visual reference to the ground. This means that a pilot can navigate and operate safely when flying above cloud cover, but they must still adhere to visibility and distance criteria from cloud formations, ensuring that they are operating within safe limits while managing their aircraft's altitude and orientation based on instruments.

In practice, this requires appropriate training and certification, as pilots must be competent in instrument flying to maintain control of the aircraft when visual references are limited. This privilege is primarily utilized when weather conditions below are unsuitable for visual navigation, but there is adequate weather above the clouds that can allow for a safe flight.

The other options pertain to different aspects of flight operations. For instance, flying only in visual meteorological conditions refers to standard VFR privileges where visibility is sufficient, which is less restrictive than VFR OTT. Flying at night with only visual aids and flying without adhering to a flight plan do not accurately reflect the regulations governing VFR OTT operations. These alternatives either misinterpret the regulatory definitions or stray into scenarios that are not encompassed by the specifics of VFR OTT.