Diversionary Tactics

True, it wont tell you how far youll have to go to find good barbecue, or even whether theres a courtesy car. It will, however, give you the hours at which someone should be there, the kinds of fuel available and whether theres 24-hour self-service, phone numbers for the airport manager or to request after-hours services (if available), the dimensions and pattern orientations of all runways...plus latitude and longitude, bearings and distances to the nearest navaids, frequencies for approach control, weather, and the CTAF or tower and descriptions of possible conflicts such as banner tows or skydiving. It even details what repair services are available, though you might have to look up the codes. (S4 means major airframe and powerplant.) Thats a lot of information for seven bucks-and the batteries never run down.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots should select diversion airports based on the specific reason for the diversion (e.g., medical, mechanical, personal needs, runway issues), rather than simply choosing the nearest option.
• Effective pre-flight planning is crucial for identifying suitable alternate airports that offer necessary services like fuel, maintenance, or ground transportation, anticipating various potential scenarios.
• Reliable resources such as the Chart Supplement (formerly Airport/Facilities Directory), in either paper or electronic form, are invaluable for accessing detailed and current airport information needed for informed diversion decisions.

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