Alternate Airport Alternatives

A favorite IPC question: When is an alternate required? The answer: Always. But like most rules, there is an exception. In a style only a bureaucrat can appreciate, the exception is listed before the rule.

jmiller

Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

An eleventh-hour proposal by Rep. Bill Shuster to remove air traffic control from the FAA and place it under the jurisdiction of the Transportation Department was dropped after an outcry by GA pilots. NATCA

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are legally required to file an alternate airport and carry enough fuel (to destination, alternate, plus 45 minutes) unless the destination weather meets the "1-2-3 rule" (an hour before/after ETA, 2000 ft ceiling, 3 miles visibility).
Legal alternates must satisfy specific weather minimums (e.g., 600-2 for precision, 800-2 for non-precision) and other conditions, which may be non-standard or affected by GPS navigator type.
While a legal alternate fulfills filing requirements, pilots often identify and use a "practical" alternate in flight based on real-time conditions, fuel efficiency, and available services, as ATC does not automatically receive the filed alternate.

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A favorite IPC question: “When is an alternate required?” The answer: “Always.” But like most rules, there is an exception. In a style only a bureaucrat can appreciate, the exception is listed before the rule.

Prudent flight planning includes researching alternate airports. A flight might not end as planned for many reasons: mechanical failure, sickness, bladder discomfort, turbulence, enroute or destination weather and destination abnormalities.