WHEN MUST A PILOT FILE AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN?
- PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM WITHIN OR PRIOR TO ENTERING CONTROLLED AIRSPACE, A PILOT MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETE FLIGHT PLAN AND RECEIVE CLEARANCE FROM ATC IF WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE BELOW VFR MINIMUMS
WHEN WILL ATC DELETE FROM THE SYSTEM A DEPARTURE FLIGHT PLAN THAT HAS NOT BEEN ACTIVATED?
- MOST CENTERS HAVE THIS PARAMETER SET SO AS TO DELETE THESE FLIGHT PLANS A MINIMUM OF 2 HOURS AFTER THE PROPOSED DEPARTURE TIME OR EXPECT DEPARTURE CLEARANCE TIME
- TO ENSURE THAT A FLIGHT PLAN REMAINS ACTIVE, PILOTS WHOSE ACTUAL DEPARTURE TIME WILL BE DELAYED 2 HOURS OR MORE BEYOND THEIR FILED DEPARTURE TIME WILL NEED TO UPDATE THEIR DEPARTURE TIME WITH FLIGHT SERVICE OR ATC
WHEN CAN YOU CANCEL YOUR IFR FLIGHT PLAN?
- AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN MAY BE CANCELED AT ANY TIME THE FLIGHT IS OPERATING IN VFR CONDITIONS OUTSIDE OF CLASS A AIRSPACE
WHEN MUST A PILOT FILE AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WHEN FLYING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN?
1-2-3 RULE — IF FROM 1 HOUR BEFORE TO 1 HOUR AFTER YOUR PLANNED ETA AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE WEATHER IS FORECAST TO BE AT LEAST 2,00-FOOT CEILINGS AND 3-MILE VISIBILITIES, NO ALTERNATE IS REQUIRED
IF LESS THAN 2,000 AND 3 MILES, AN ALTERNATE MUST BE FILED USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A.) IF AN IAP IS PUBLISHED FOR THAT AIRPORT, THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT MINIMUMS SPECIFIED IN THAT PROCEDURE OR, IF NONE ARE SPECIFIED THE FOLLOWING MINIMUMS —
- PRECISION APPROACH PROCEDURE: CEILING 600 FEET AND VISIBILITY 2 STATUTE MILES
- NON-PRECISION APPROACHES: CEILING 800 FET AND VISIBILITY 2 STATUTE MILES
B.) IF NO IAP HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FOR THAT AIRPORT, THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY MINIMUMS ARE THOSE ALLOWING DESCENT FROM THE MEA, APPROACH, AND LANDING UNDER BASIC VFR
WHEN WOULD AN AIRPORT NOT QUALIFY AS AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WHEN FILING AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN?
- AN AIRPORT MAY NOT BE QUALIFIED FOR ALTERNATE USE IF THE AIRPORT NAVAID IS UNMONITORED, OR IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WEATHER REPORTING CAPABILITIES
- FOR AN AIRPORT TO BE USED AS AN ALTERNATE, THE FORECAST WEATHER AT THAT AIRPORT MUST MEET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS AT THE ETA
- ADDITIONALLY, THE PRESENCE OF A TRIANGLE WITH AN “A” ON THE APPROACH CHART INDICATES THE LISTING OF ALTERNATE MINIMUMS SHOULD BE CONSULTED; AIRPORTS THAT DO NOT QUALIFY FOR USE AS AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT ARE DESIGNATED WITH AN A
WHAT RESOURCES MAY A PILOT REFER TO WHEN DETERMINING IF AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT IS REQUIRED OR IF AN AIRPORT MAY BE USED AS AN ALTERNATE WHEN CONSIDERING WEATHER CONDITIONS
A.) TERMINAL AREA FORECAST (TAF); OR IF THE AIRPORT IS OUTSIDE THE AREA COVERED BY A TAF
B.) THE GRAPHICAL FORECASTS FOR AVIATION (GFA) TOOL, ON WHICH A PILOT MAY SELECT THE “FORECAST” AND “CIG/VIS” TABS, AND THEN USE THE ZULU TIME SLIDER BAR TO OBTAIN FORECAST WEATHER AT THE ETA
WHAT SIZE AREA DOES A TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST (TAF) COVER & HOW LONG ARE THEY VALID FOR?
- A TAF IS A CONCISE STATEMENT OF THE EXPECTED METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS SIGNIFICANT TO AVIATION FOR A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD WITHIN 5 SM OF THE CENTER OF THE AIRPORT’S RUNWAY TERMINAL
- THESE FORECASTS ARE VALID FOR 24 OR 30 HOURS & ARE AMENDED AS REQUIRED
DURING PREFLIGHT PLANNING, YOU NOTICE THAT YOUR DESTINATION AIRPORT HAS NO PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE. THE WEATHER IS FORECAST TO BE 3,000 FOOT CEILINGS WITH 5 MILES OF VISIBILITY WITHIN THE 1 HOUR BEFORE TO 1 HOUR AFTER YOUR ETA. ARE YOU REQUIRED TO FILE AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT?
YES; 14 CFR 91.169 REQUIRES THAT EACH PERSON FILING AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN MUST INCLUDE IN IT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
A.) INFORMATION REQUIRED UNDER 14 CFR 91.153 (VFR FLIGHT PLAN INFORMATION), AND
B.) AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT
YOU HAVE JUST EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH AT YOUR DESTINATION AIRPORT DUE TO UN-FORECAST WEATHER, AND DURING THE CLIMB, YOU ARE UNABLE TO CONTACT ATC. YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO PROCED TO YOUR FILED ALTERNATE. DOES ATC KNOW WHAT YOUR FILED ALTERNATE IS? CAN YOU DIVERT TO A DIFFERENT ALTERNATE THAN WHAT IS FILED?
- NO; ALTHOUGH ALTERNATE AIRPORT INFORMATION FILED IN A FLIGTH PLAN WILL BE ACCEPTED BY AIR TRAFFIC COMPUTER SYSTEMS, IT WILL NOT BE PRESENTED TO CONTROLLERS
- IF DIVERSION TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT BECOMES NECESSARY, PILOTS ARE EXPECTED TO NOTIFY ATC AND REQUEST AN AMENDED CLEARANCE
- THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR YOU TO PROCEED TO YOUR FILED ALTERNATE; YOU MAY SELECT ANY AIRPORT THAT YOU DETERMINE IS APPROPRIATE, CONSIDERING ACTUAL CONDITIONS (WEATHER, FUEL REMAINING, ETC.) AT THE TIME
NOTE: IN THIS CASE, IF UNABLE TO CONTACT ATC, YOU SHOULD PROCEED TO YOUR ALTERNATE OR ANY OTHER AIRPORT THAT YOU DETERMINE IS NECESSARY AND WILL RESULT IN A SAFE OUTCOME FOR YOU FLIGHT
WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM CEILING?
- CEILING IS DEFINED AS THE HEIGH ABOVE THE EARTH’S SURFACE OF THE LOWEST LAYER OF CLOUDS OR OBSCURING PHENOMENA REPORTED AS “BROKEN,” “OVERCAST,” OR “OBSCURATION,” AND NOT CLASSIFIED AS “THIN” OR “PARTIAL”
WHAT MINIMUMS ARE TO BE USED ON ARRIVAL AT THE ALTERNATE?
- IF AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FOR THAT AIRPORT, THE MINIMUMS SPECIFIED IN THAT PROCEDURE ARE USED
WHAT INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES MAY YOU FLIGHT PLAN TO USE AS THE PLANNED APPROACH AT THE REQUIRED ALTERNATE WHEN USING WAAS EQUIPMENT
- A PILOT WITH A WAAS-EQUIPPED AND CAPABLE AIRCRAFT MAY USE AN AIRPORT SERVED ONLY WITH GPS-BASED APPROACHES AS AN ALTERNATE
WHAT RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO FLIGHT PLANNING WHEN USING WAAS AVIONICS AT THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT?
- WHEN USING WAAS AVIONICS AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT, FLIGHT PLANNING MUST BE BASED ON FLYING THE RNAV 9GPS LNAV OR CONVENTIONAL APPROACH PROCEDURE WITH “OR GPS’ IN THE TITLE
- 14 CFR PART 91 NON-PRECISION WEATHER REQUIREMENTS MUST BE USED FOR PLANNING
- UPON ARRIVAL AT AN ALTERNATE, WHEN THE WAAS NAVIGATION SYSTEM INDICATES THAT LNAV/VNAV OR LPV SERVICE IS AVAILABLE, THEN VERTICAL GUIDANCE MAY BE USED TO COMPLETE THE APPROACH USING THE DISPLAYED LEVEL OF SERVICE
WHAT ARE PREFERRED ROUTES, & WHERE CAN THEY BE FOUND?
PREFERRED ROUTES:
- PREFERRED ROUTES ARE THOSE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN BUSIER AIRPORTS TO INCREASE SYSTEM EFFICIENCY AND CAPACITY
- PREFERRED ROUTES ARE LISTED IN THE CHART SUPPLEMENT
WHAT ARE ENROUTE LOW-ALTITUDE CHARTS?
ENROUTE LOW-ALTITUDE CHARTS:
- ENROUTE LOW-ALTITUDE CHARTS PROVIDE AERONAUTICAL NAVIGATION UNDER IFR CONDITIONS BELOW 18,000 FEET MSL
- THESE CHARTS ARE REVISED EVERY 56 DAYS
- ALL COURSES ARE MAGNETIC AND DISTANCES ARE NAUTICAL MILES
WHAT ARE ENROUTE HIGH-ALTITUDE CHARTS?
ENROUT HIGH-ALTITUDE CHARTS:
- ENROUTE HIGH-ALTITUDE CHARTS ARE DESIGNED FOR NAVIGATION AT OR ABOVE 18,000 FEET MSL
- THIS FOUR-COLOR CHART SERIES INCLUDES THE JET ROUTE STRUCTURE; VHF NAVAIDS WITH FREQUENCY, IDENTIFICATION, CHANNEL, GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES; SELECTED AIRPORTS; & REPORTING POINTS
- CHARTS REVISED EVERY 56 DAYS
WHAT ARE AREA CHARTS?
AREA CHARTS:
- AREA CHARTS SHOW CONGESTED TERMINAL AREAS SUCH AS DALLAS/FT. WORTH OR ATLANTA AT A LARGE SCALE
- THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH SUBSCRIPTIONS TO ANY CONTERMINOUS U.S. SET LOW (FULL SET, EAST OR WEST SETS)
- REVISED EVERY 56 DAYS
WHAT OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE CHART SUPPLEMENT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN ROUTE PLANNING?
INFORMATION FOUND IN CHARTS SUPPLEMENT:
1.) SPECIAL NOTICES: PROHIBITED AREAS, AEROBATIC AND GLIDER PRACTICE AREAS, NOISE ABATEMENT ETC
2.) ARTCCS: LOW & HIGH ALTITUDE TRANSMITTER SITE FREQUENCIES
3.) FSS FREQUENCIES
4.) ROUTES/WAYPOINTS: LOW & HIGH ALTITUDE PREFERRED ROUTES; VFR WAYPOINTS
5.) GPS Q ROUTES
6.) VOR RECEIVER CHECKPOINTS AND VOTS
7.) AERONAUTICAL CHART BULLETINS
HOW DOES A PILOT DETERMINE THE TYPE OF STATUS OF AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH LIGHT SYSTEM AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT?
- THE PILOT SHOULD CHECK THE CHART SUPPLEMENT & ANY NOTAMS TO DETERMINE THE AVAILABILITY STATUS OF LIGHTING SYSTEMS , LIGHT INTENSITIES, & RADIO CONTROLLED LIGHT SYSTEM FREQUENCIES
- AN FSS BRIEFER WILL ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO ANY RECENT CHANGES IN THE STATUS OF AIRPORT LIGHTING SYSTEMS
WHAT ARE NOTAMS?
NOTAMS:
- NOTICE TO AIR MISSIONS: TIME CRITICAL AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION, WHICH IS OF EITHER A TEMPORARY NATURE OR NOT KNOWN SUFFICENTLY IN ADVANCE TO PERMIT PUBLICATION ON AERONAUTICAL CHARTS OR IN OTHER OPERATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, RECEIVES IMMEDIATE DISSEMINATION VIA THE NATIONAL NOTAM SYSTEM
- IT IS AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION THAT COULD AFFECT A PILOT’S DECISION TO MAKE A FLIGHT
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOTAMS A PILOT MAY ENCOUNTER?
DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOTAMS:
1.) CLASS I NOTAM (ICAO): NOTAMS DISTRIBUTED BY MEANS OF TELECOMMUNICATION
2.) CLASS II NOTAM (ICAO) OR PUBLISHED NOTAM: NOTAMS DISTRIBUTED BY MEANS OTHER THAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS
3.) INTERNATIONAL NOTAM: ANY NOTAM INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO MORE THAN ON COUNTRY
- HOWEVER, AN FSS DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ALL INTERNATIONAL NOTAMS
4.) DOMESTIC NOTAM: A NOTAM THAT IS PRIMARILY DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE IN CANADA
5.) CIVIL NOTAM: ANY NOTAM THAT IS PART OF THE CIVIL NOTAM SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES NAY NOTAM THAT IS NOT PART OF THE MILITARY NOTAM SYSTEM
6.) MILITARY NOTAM: ANY NOTAM THAT IS PART OF THE MILITARY NOTAM SYSTEM, WHICH PRIMARILY INCLUDES NOTAMS ON MILITARY AIRSPACE
7.) FDC NOTAM: FLIGHT DATA CENTER NOTAMS ARE NOTAMS THAT ARE REGULATORY IN NATURE SUCH AS CHANGES TO AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE OR AIRWAY
- TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE ALSO ISSUED AS FDC NOTAMS
