Be Prepared!

J. Mac McClellan

Saturday, August 11, 2001 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots should only fly into major airline airports if highly proficient in ATC communications and capable of maintaining IFR-level aircraft control, even in visual conditions.
Be prepared to maintain high approach speeds (at least 100 knots indicated) until close to the runway and adjust standard landing procedures to align with airline operations.
Extensive pre-flight preparation is mandatory, encompassing detailed study of airport diagrams and terminal charts, understanding FBO services and fees, and securing IFR reservations when necessary.
During arrival and departure, anticipate vectoring, carefully confirm visual traffic, utilize ILS for runway confirmation and wake turbulence avoidance, and proactively request progressive taxi instructions.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Check out Dick Collins’s BIG AIRPORT CHECKLIST

This safety piece, which first appeared in the August edition of the Flying, was written months before the September 11th attacks on America. While the nature of our airspace has changed, and continues to change, we believe the general message, that you need to be prepared and profession when you fly in busy airspace, is more timely now than ever.