Flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) is largely procedural. Theres little room or tolerance for zany spontaneity so, if you love surprises, look elsewhere. But although we fly by the book, when the plot thickens, we do in fact have options (although theyre more like regulatory provisions) for choosing a different ending. Usually, the thickening agent affecting our best-laid plans is weather-related. Before we can exercise that freedom of choice, however, IFR pilots must fulfill certain obligations. Some of these rules are similar to those for VFR flight, such as how much fuel we should have on board. Some, however, go literally a step beyond, such as the requirement for specifying an alternate destination (as well as hopefully having some rough plan for getting there). The idea of even thinking of an 288
Flight Landing Alternates Made Easy
Flight under instrument flight rules (IFR) is largely procedural. Theres little room or tolerance for zany spontaneity so, if you love surprises, look elsewhere. But although we fly by the book, when the plot thickens, we do in fact have options (although theyre more like regulatory provisions) for choosing a different ending. Usually, the thickening agent affecting our best-laid plans is weather-related. Before we can exercise that freedom of choice, however, IFR pilots must fulfill certain obligations. Some of these rules are similar to those for VFR flight, such as how much fuel we should have on board. Some, however, go literally a step beyond, such as the requirement for specifying an alternate destination (as well as hopefully having some rough plan for getting there). The idea of even thinking of an alternate airport may be foreign for some newly anointed VFR pilots, but in the IFR world, its a well-known commodity.
Key Takeaways:
- IFR flight is highly procedural, requiring pilots to plan for an alternate destination and adequate fuel reserves primarily to manage unexpected weather changes.
- The decision to file an alternate is governed by the "1-2-3 rule" (destination weather forecast of 2000 ft ceiling/3 miles visibility), with fuel requirements always including an additional 45 minutes of flight time.
- Alternate airports have specific planning minimums ("602/802 rule") and should ideally be larger, well-equipped facilities to ensure safety, provide more options, and comply with regulations in adverse conditions.
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