The Sections of the Sky You are probably familiar with Victor airways from reviewing sectional charts as a private pilot. In the IFR world, we almost always try to fly along “airways” and not always Victor’s airways. Airways in the sky have a distinct advantage over just flying direct somewhere. You can generally get right… Continue reading The Structure
Topic Category: IFR
Airspace Review (Optional)
Class B, the busy stuff To make sense of this complicated cake, let’s build it from the ground up! At a Class B airport, you have Ground Control, just like you would at a Class C or Class D airport. Ground control issues taxi clearances. You have Tower Control, same as any other towered airport. … Continue reading Airspace Review (Optional)
DVA
Diverse Vector Area (DVA) What in the heck is that!? Well let’s translate from FAA to English: It’s an area that’s been pre-cleared by a FAA survey crew to ensure you will have obstacle protection if you accept a radar vector on departure from ATC. This means that as long as you comply with the… Continue reading DVA
ODP
Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) ODPs come in two forms, textual and graphic. When the textual ODP is considered to be “complex” (lots of turns or weird instructions), the FAA will also make it available in graphical form. It’s important to remember, that although there is no regulation forcing you to fly a published ODP, it… Continue reading ODP
VCOA
Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA) A Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA) procedure is a departure option for an IFR aircraft, operating in visual meteorological conditions equal to or greater than the specified visibility and ceiling. To visually conduct climbing turns over the airport to the published “climb−to” altitude from which to proceed with the instrument… Continue reading VCOA
SIDs
Standard Instrument Departure Procedure (SID) SIDs can help condense your flight plan in a nice neat package, reduce ATC workload, and make receiving your clearance from ATC much easier. However, if you ever decide you don’t want to use a SID, and don’t want ATC to file you using one, just place “NO SIDS” in… Continue reading SIDs
Descent Planning
The Perfect Descent So before we jump into approach plates, I think it’s important to take a pause for the cause for 2 minutes and quick review how to make a safe and STABLE descent. That will make it ten times easier for you to fly an instrument approach in the airplane if you have… Continue reading Descent Planning
Approach Plate Extra Credit!
Want to Know MORE! Check out some extra credit information here to learn a little bit more about instrument approach plates and how to put them to good use in the cockpit (no you can’t eat off them!….they can make good napkins though….). Grab a beer and see what new information you can learn! It’s… Continue reading Approach Plate Extra Credit!
Center (ARTCC)
Air Route Traffic Control Center, or better known as “CENTER” ARTCCs are what make up the vast majority of our NAS. They cover all the airspace that is “controlled airspace” (class E or better) and the airspace not controlled by Towers or TRACON. Keep in mind just because you are in Class E “controlled airspace”… Continue reading Center (ARTCC)
Tower and Approach / Departure
Tower You of course are probably familiar with what a tower controller does. Keep in mind though, that besides just controlling the airspace within about 5nm of the field, the tower controller is constantly on the land line coordinating with Approach/Departure to hand off aircraft and help get pilot’s requests granted by Approach/Departure. Often times… Continue reading Tower and Approach / Departure