IFR On The Fly

Sometimes you just get set up. You got up early, looked out the window at a nearly clear sky and figured youd fly the 80 miles or so to visit a buddy and hang out at his airport instead of yours. You whipped out your tablet for a full briefing and to make sure there were no TFRs. The forecast advertised nothing below 5000 broken and four miles viz all day, so you headed for the airport, did the preflight and motored off over the horizon.

rdurden

Monday, June 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

When encountering unexpected Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) in VFR flight, pilots should avoid dangerous "scud running" which is a leading cause of fatal accidents.
Instrument-rated and current pilots flying IFR-legal aircraft should request a "pop-up IFR clearance" directly from Air Traffic Control (ATC), which is legal and highly recommended.
Pilots who are not instrument-rated or current, or whose aircraft is not IFR-legal, should not attempt IFR or scud run; instead, they should divert to the nearest VFR airport or consider a precautionary off-airport landing.
In an emergency IMC situation, pilots should contact ATC immediately (e.g., squawk 7700 and call 121.5), provide essential information, and expect controllers to prioritize assistance and safety.

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Sometimes you just get set up. You got up early, looked out the window at a nearly clear sky and figured you’d fly the 80 miles or so to visit a buddy and hang out at his airport instead of yours. You whipped out your tablet for a full briefing and to make sure there were no TFRs. The forecast advertised nothing below 5000 broken and four miles viz all day, so you headed for the airport, did the preflight and motored off over the horizon.

It was a better day than you had hoped—your friend was in fine form, you met some interesting pilots and airplanes, and diminished the coffee supply until well into the afternoon. Flying home at 3000 feet, the broken layer was above you and visibility wasn’t bad. Fifteen miles from home plate you dialed in the ASOS and the sweatband on your ball cap suddenly got tight. The ASOS reported a ceiling of 800 feet overcast and visibility of two miles.