Departure Difficulties

Too often, instrument training can focus only on approaches, those procedures at the end of a flight allowing us to find a runway and land on it. But well before we’re cleared for an approach, we have to take off, climb to altitude and get through the en route system to someplace close to our destination. Sure, approaches are sexy, but other portions of an instrument flight are just as important. Take initial climb and departure, for instance, something at which pilots routinely fail.

Key Takeaways:

• Initial IFR climb and departure phases are critically important yet often neglected in pilot training, frequently leading to fatal accidents due to pilot disorientation or lack of preparation in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
• Common causes of these departure crashes include failure to establish or maintain a positive climb rate, deviation from the cleared flight path, and distraction, often affecting experienced pilots in well-equipped aircraft.
• To mitigate these risks, pilots must meticulously prepare for departure (e.g., avionics setup, comprehensive briefings), master basic attitude instrument flying, delay autopilot engagement until a safe altitude, and maintain a sterile cockpit during the high-workload initial climb.

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