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 and necessitates detailed pre-flight planning, including anticipating weather and designating an alternate destination to enhance safety and regulatory compliance.
- An alternate is required unless the destination's forecast (one hour before to one hour after ETA) meets specific minimums: at least 2000 ft ceiling AND three statute miles visibility (the "1-2-3 rule").
- Fuel requirements include flying to the primary destination (or to the alternate if required) plus an additional 45 minutes at normal cruise speed.
- Planning for an alternate involves specific forecast minimums (e.g., "602 or 802" rule for precision/non-precision approaches), which are distinct from actual landing minimums, with larger, well-equipped airports generally being the safest choice due to better facilities and weather reporting.
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