Readback February 2023

Editorial Staff

Monday, January 23, 2023 at 03:23 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots engage in discussions about the evolving role of technology in IFR flying, questioning over-reliance on digital moving maps versus traditional navigation and exploring the practical utility and limitations of Angle of Attack (AoA) indicators.
Specific operational questions include inquiries about altitude discretion for VFR flight following within Class Bravo airspace and highlighting free alternatives for D-ATIS and PDC services.
The letters collectively emphasize the importance of continuous learning, adapting to new tools, and understanding detailed ATC procedures for instrument-rated pilots.

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Whichever Way Up

In 2013, I was again breaking in a new CFII for an instrument competency check. I was flying a /U C172 at the time without an IFR certified GPS, but I did have WingX with the IFR subscription on my iPad. This subscription gave me geolocated IFR charts on the app. I did some maneuvers, and some approaches. When we returned to the FBO, the instructor told me I did fine, but he would like to fly with me again with just paper charts, no moving map, because he wanted to be sure that “I could fly the needles, and I wasn’t just driving the little blue airplane around on the screen.”