IFR Magazine

On a recent trip from Illinois to Arkansas, we overheard the following exchange: Razorback Approach: “Cessna Two Three Tango, Razorback Approach. Have you changed your destination from Houston, Texas?” Cessna 23T: “Razorback Approach, Cessna Two Three Tango. That’s a negative. Destination is still Houston.” Approach (chuckling): “Well Cessna Two Three Tango, on your current heading […]

Maybe it’s because the long Midwestern winter is not yet over, but the idea that approach procedures are like snowflakes comes to mind. From a broad view, they’re all the same with minimum weather requirements, descents, altitude restrictions, and missed approaches. But, up close, no two are alike. Such is the case during a short […]

The FAA’s Minimum Operating Network (MON) focuses on serving general aviation. Why? How will the airlines and heavy corporate birds survive a significant GPS outage, and why can’t we have that same resiliency? To answer that question, we need to start by exploring how the “airlines and heavy corporate birds” navigate. But, before we go […]

One of the ways the FAA manages many things without creating new regulations is through Letters of Agreement (LOAs). There are many types of LOAs but one creates clarity among Air Traffic Control facilities regarding who controls what. In theory, they eliminate ambiguity amongst the parties involved. Sometimes LOAs also affect pilots and the issue […]

The first thing that might be on your mind is; “Aren’t there fewer rules if you are IFR?” Well, kind of. The main example is if you are IFR, you need not worry about weather requirements for entering certain airspace. An IFR clearance in itself provides separation from other aircraft and obstacle clearance in all […]

(This is the first of a four-part series of articles in which contributing editor Fred Simonds will fully explore common, oft-fatal mistakes that we pilots make. This first article merely relates a number of ultimately harmless incidents that will serve as illustrations on which we’ll build in subsequent articles. As I read Fred’s manuscript, I […]

Who Cancels Flight Following? When receiving VFR flight following who has the authority to cancel? I haven’t found any clear guidance for situations where ATC, providing a “voluntary, as time available” service, can instruct an aircraft remain on a transponder code and frequency when the pilot wants to cancel due to frequency congestion or terrain […]

BRYANT CRASH RAISES HELICOPTER EQUIPAGE QUESTIONS Crashes that kill celebrities tend to be a catalyst for safety changes in aviation and the tragic crash of a Sikorsky S-76B that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others may follow that trend. The helicopter crashed north of Los Angeles while on a Special VFR transition of […]

Admiral Grace Hopper was an amazing person, well known for her contribution to modern computing. Less well known than her famous nanoseconds (look it up), she was fond of saying that “because we’ve always done it that way” was never a valid reason for anything. I’ve long tried to head that guidance. Last month, our […]

Until very recently you had been on your way to Roswell, New Mexico for completely benign reasons, like meeting a long lost cousin. Yeah, that was it. Certainly not to follow up on a lead from someone who really knows what happened that night. No, definitely not that. You recently acquired a Mooney 201 (M20J), […]