As always, January’s “Incommunicado” is an excellent article from Tarrance Kramer. The article about the fun-and-games of losing communication between pilot and ATC, from the controller’s point of view, prompted some thoughtful discussion around here, confirming once again we periodically need to review the pilot’s rules for NORDO (none of us could recite, from memory, the rules for route and altitude).
The section “Study in Contrast” described a Cherokee driver who did it right, flying to his clearance limit airport, then initiating an approach at the expected altitudes. That’s all well and good, but let’s toss a monkey wrench into that pilot’s lap: The weather at the intended destination has just gone into the toilet. Instead of OVC030, it’s 1/4SM FG VV002; the pilot misses. Now what?
