If you enter VMC while on an IFR flight plan, what must you do?

When a pilot enters VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions) while on an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flight plan, the procedures outlined in regulations dictate a need to prioritize safety and situational awareness. The correct response is to ensure visual contact with other aircraft to avoid potential collisions.

Maintaining a "see and avoid" strategy is crucial in VMC conditions because it allows the pilot to leverage their ability to visually identify and navigate around other traffic, which is especially important since they may not have access to all the necessary instruments for precise navigation under IFR.

While the other options might sound logical, they do not fully align with the required action in this situation. Reporting VFR conditions to ATC can be part of the process, but the primary responsibility of the pilot in VMC is to maintain visual awareness and avoid conflicts with other aircraft. Requesting VFR-on-top is not necessary unless the pilot intends to change their flight profile while remaining in VMC. Continuing under IFR until conditions improve is also not appropriate when in VMC, as the pilot is expected to act within visual flight rules when they are capable of doing so. Therefore, the emphasis on seeing and avoiding traffic is fundamental in ensuring safety during unexpected VMC encounters in an IFR context.