Filing an Alternate is Required…Unless…

When filing an IFR flight plan, the language of FAR 91.169 makes listing an alternate airport the default: You have to name one unless the circumstances of the flight are such that it falls under both of the two listed exceptions: First, the airport must have a published instrument approach procedure. Second, the forecast weather meets the 1-2-3 rule: For an hour before to an hour after the ETA at your destination, the weather is forecast to be equal to or better than a 2000-foot ceiling with three statute miles visibility.

Key Takeaways:

• FAR 91.169 generally requires listing an alternate airport on an IFR flight plan unless the destination has a published instrument approach and the forecast weather meets the 1-2-3 rule (2000-foot ceiling, 3 statute miles visibility) for an hour before to an hour after ETA.
• A common oversight among pilots is forgetting that a published instrument approach at the destination is mandatory to avoid filing an alternate, regardless of clear weather forecasts.
• The FAA prohibits the "gamesmanship" of filing an intermediate airport as the destination to circumvent alternate requirements for the true, further destination, considering it careless and reckless with potential for certificate action in case of fuel shortages.

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