Seven IFR Prep Tips

Approach, could you read back the arrival waypoints...we can’t seem to find that arrival....” The request got my attention because it came from the aircraft somewhere ahead of me in the soup of a thick overcast, headed to the same airport. The controller had just warned of a pending change to my arrival plans by changing those of the flight ahead of me. Taking that change as a cue, it was easy to turn to the last plastic-protector page in my little IFR folder—where I’d already inserted the appropriate page. It was less luck than experience, which had tutored me on the likelihood of a traffic conflict with another airport’s arrivals.

Key Takeaways:

• Thorough pre-flight planning is essential, encompassing early weather prognoses, facility NOTAMs, aircraft readiness, and pilot fitness.
• Develop comprehensive primary and backup plans (Plan A and B scenarios) for routes, alternate airports, and contingencies to reduce in-flight stress and enable quick decision-making.
• Treat flights as a series of phases, continuously updating plans in flight using all available resources (Flight Service, ATC, Pireps) and staying alert to adapt to changing conditions.

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