One of the fallacies of flying IFR in marginal-to-good weather is that its safe to presume everyone else out there is on the same page, under the watchful eye of ATC. Instead, its completely legal for someone else to be scud-running in barely VFR weather while youve gone to the trouble to get the rating, file the flight plan and follow the clearance. 288
Lurking In The Murk
One of the fallacies of flying IFR in marginal-to-good weather is that its safe to presume everyone else out there is on the same page, under the watchful eye of ATC. Instead, its completely legal for someone else to be scud-running in barely VFR weather while youve gone to the trouble to get the rating, file the flight plan and follow the clearance.
Key Takeaways:
- Flying IFR to uncontrolled airports in marginal VFR conditions presents risks, as ATC often terminates radar service, making IFR pilots vulnerable to unseen VFR traffic due to inherent radar coverage limitations at lower altitudes.
- ATC radar systems face limitations in detecting low-altitude aircraft far from antennas, and advanced "mosaic" radar technology that could improve coverage for terminal use is not operationally implemented due to accuracy and separation concerns.
- To enhance safety, pilots should proactively learn about local ATC radar coverage limitations, request continued traffic advisories from controllers, and diligently monitor and broadcast their positions on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) during approaches.
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