IFR Magazine

The original structure of the National Airspace System (NAS), with its VORs, airways and intersections, has served us well for decades. But its rapidly becoming outdated in this age of direct navigation between most any two places on the globe. A more structured system already exists: Its called the National Reference System (NRS).

It may come as a surprise to you that, from time to time, we endanger our lives and that of our passengers, and sometimes even violate FARs, when we accept a clearance from ATC.

When youre flying a high-tech aircraft, you expect any fix the controller throws at you will be ready to go in your database. Thats probably why an Eclipse pilot accepted a clearance to JISEV for the ILS Rwy 22 approach into Evansville, Ind. JISEV is an intermediate fix (IF) for the approach, and clearing the aircraft to it and then for the approach acts as a proxy for vectoring the aircraft onto the final approach course. Neat and simple for everyone.

I always thought the term TCA-Terminal Control Airspace-had the right ominous overtones for airspace I didnt want to blunder into as a newbie pilot. In comparison, Class B airspace sounds like a factory second the FAA picked up at a bargain price. (The border is a bit ragged on the south side, but dont worry about it, no one will notice.)

An item recently crossed our desks that has caused some head scratching: Teterboro had a revised charted visual departure procedure for IFR clearances. Of course, everyone knows about SIDs-weve analyzed bunches of ’em in these pages over the years. And most of us will occasionally ask for a VFR departure. Visual approaches (charted or not) are common.

The light jet revolution wasnt televised because it never happened. At least not yet. There has been a quiet proliferation of small kerosene burners on the ramps and in the flight levels, however, and that means more pilots are experiencing the pleasures and pitfalls of life in Class A airspace.

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lying in to Waterloo Regional in Ontario, where wild turkeys can gather: Waterloo Tower: Aerostar Charlie Fox Kilo Whisky Mike, cleared to land 14. Caution, there is one bird sitting on the runway at the intersection.C-FKWM: Does he look dangerous? Tower: Actually … Id have to say he looks edible. …

We overheard this conversation with Tower at Anoka Blaine-County, Minn., just after a Skylane had landed:Anoka Tower: Skylane Two Five Eight, turn right on Bravo, right on Charlie One, Cross 9-27 to parking.Skylane 258: Bravo, Charlie One, Cross 9-27.Skylane 258 (after a short pause): Anoka Tower, ahhh, we made a wrong turn.Tower: I see that. Thats OK. Cross 9-27, left on Alpha Three.Skylane 258: Cross 9-27, left on Alpha Three. Skylane 258 (after another pause):…

We were inbound for a practice ILS at Portland, Maine, on a seriously windy day. The controller was a trainee wed heard before, and she must have been having a bit of trouble with the wind-as were we, bouncing along in our minimally equipped 1976 Skyhawk:Portland Approach: Cessna Seven Three Eight Two Seven, fly heading 350.Us: 350, Eight Two Seven.Approach (a couple minutes later): Cessna Eight Two Seven, fly heading 330. Us: 330, Eight Two…