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 must legally file an alternate airport and carry sufficient fuel unless their destination meets the "1-2-3 rule" (2000 ft ceiling, 3 statute miles visibility, one hour before/after ETA with an approved approach).
Legal alternates have specific weather minimums (e.g., 600-2 for precision, 800-2 for non-precision) and other restrictions, such as not being the destination or having unmonitored equipment.
A crucial distinction exists between a "filed" alternate (for regulatory compliance and initial fuel planning) and a "practical" alternate (for flexible, real-time in-flight decision-making).
Once airborne, pilots should prioritize practical alternates based on current conditions, fuel conservation, and available resources, recognizing that the filed alternate is not transmitted to ATC and may not be the best tactical choice.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.