Close-In Changes

Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 01:31 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Pilots discuss leveraging technology like ForeFlight for quicker approach plate access and NWS NBM graphics as an improved alternative for longer-range graphical weather forecasts.
Critical flight safety concerns are raised, including the risk of mid-air collisions when flying VFR in snow or rain by following ground references, and questions about the effectiveness of ATC wake turbulence warnings.
A contributing author highlights the evolution of personal risk management over time, reflecting on how a more conservative approach would now influence past flight decisions for challenging routes.
The article clarifies the practical differences between Marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions and Special VFR (SVFR) clearances, detailing their respective meanings and applications.

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I’d like to add one more suggestion to Thomas Turner’s article on “Handling In-Close Approach Changes” (January 2020). Using ForeFlight on a tablet, I have found the pilot can switch from one approach plate to another in literally a couple of seconds rather than the several minutes it takes to thumb through a booklet looking for the appropriate paper approach plate.

David Shepherd – Via email