Close-In Changes

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

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Electronic flight bags significantly improve efficiency for in-flight changes, but robust pilot risk management remains critical, especially for complex flights in challenging environments like Alaska.
Flying VFR in reduced visibility, particularly along linear ground features in remote areas, presents a serious mid-air collision risk due to shared navigation paths.
Pilots are actively seeking improved long-range weather forecasting tools, like the NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory’s experimental graphical products, to replace discontinued services.
There is ongoing discussion about ATC's role in mitigating hazards such as wake turbulence, alongside the importance of pilots understanding distinctions between weather conditions like Marginal VFR and specific clearances like Special VFR.

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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