Stay Outta the Way

The optimistic among us, besides having sunnier dispositions when asked to copy a reroute or enter a hold, like to assume positive outcomes during flight planning. This means looking for bright spots (literally) in weather forecasts and finding the upsides to adjusting departure times. While its nice to have a good attitude in flight, completely ignoring the pessimist in you can result in not-so-positive results.

Elaine Kauh

Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Overly optimistic flight planning, which neglects thorough scrutiny of en-route charts, frequently leads to unexpected reroutes, particularly when flying through active Special Use Airspace like MOAs and Restricted Areas.
The article demonstrates that relying on "cleared as filed" without checking for potential airspace conflicts can result in multiple flight path amendments and increased workload for the pilot.
Ultimately, comprehensive pre-flight planning and maintaining situational awareness regarding airspace restrictions are crucial for a smoother flight, even though ATC assists in managing conflicts.

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The optimistic among us, besides having sunnier dispositions when asked to copy a reroute or enter a hold, like to assume positive outcomes during flight planning. This means looking for bright spots (literally) in weather forecasts and finding the upsides to adjusting departure times. While it’s nice to have a good attitude in flight, completely ignoring the pessimist in you can result in not-so-positive results.

If you’re one of those types, you might gloss over items like en-route charts. Scrutinizing these hasn’t been your forte, mainly because you like to fly your speedy, GPS-equipped bird direct to your destinations. You’re now so accustomed to hearing “cleared as filed” from your home base in up-state New York that you’ve gotten out of the habit of poring over airways and en-route fixes. Now, with a longer trip taking you out of familiar airspace, you’re about to get disappointed—more than once.