When you think about instrument flying, your first thought is probably on flying instrument approaches. Admittedly, there is nothing quite like flying through a thick cloud bank only to see a runway magically appear right there in front of you. Because of the obvious importance of the approach phase of flight and the increased task requirements that exist during this segment, instructors and pilots alike tend to place a predominant amount of emphasis on this element in initial and recurrent instrument training. Much like visual flying, though, a good approach and landing are dependent on proper preparation when arriving into the airport area. Whether you are entering the airport traffic pattern during visual operations or entering the area via a published arrival procedure or ATC vectors in instrument conditions, the arrival phase of flight is critically important.
Many instrument pilots let their guard down once they enter the cruise segment of the flight because the task requirements are much lower. The pilot is then jolted upon entering the airport area and having to suddenly gear up for the approach. General aviation pilots often overlook the arrival phase because they are rarely assigned published arrival procedures by ATC, unless they are entering high-density airspace. As such, GA pilots often find themselves struggling to catch up once they enter the approach phase. For them, there is no transition between the relative calm of the en route phase and the hustle and bustle of the approach phase. It behooves every GA pilot to make planning for the arrival, published or not, a top priority to ensure a smooth and safe transition from the gray sky to the black asphalt.
