Instrument Flight
Instrument Flight Planning
INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLANNING
Flight planning requires you to understand the planning process along with the associated documents
needed to manage a cross-country flight. Before you can prepare a flight plan, you must gather accurate
and complete weather and route information for your intended flight.
FACILITY REQUIREMENTS
When planning a flight, be sure to take into account the facilities and equipment available at your
destination and alternates. Those airports must have an adequate runway and the equipment required for
aircraft servicing. Especially, you need to determine before departing for an unfamiliar field that, (1) the
runway is of adequate length and is properly surfaced, (2) fuel is available of the proper grade IAW
NATOPS, and (3) if you are going to a civilian field where they have contract fuel and will accept a
government fuel card. Additionally, you should always determine if your destination is PPR (prior
permission required).
ROUTE AND ALTITUDE
You must give primary consideration to enroute weather and winds when planning a flight. You will
normally want to use the most direct route at the most favorable altitude for your fuel requirements.
ALTERNATE
You are required to plan for an alternate anytime your destination is forecast to be below a 3,000-ft ceiling
and 3 miles visibility during the period from 1 hour prior to and 1 hour after your ETA. If your destination is
forecast to be below published minimums, then your alternate must be above 3,000-3. If your destination
is between published minimums and 3,000-3, your alternate must be forecast to be 300-1 above published
minimums for a non-precision approach or 200-1/2 above published minimums for a precision approach.
Check alternate weather for the time you would arrive there and not for the ETA at your destination. Refer
to Figure 11 for single pilot restrictions.
NOTE: CNATRA regulations require that you always plan an alternate.
ALTERNATE WEATHER
DESTINATION WEATHER
ETA plus and minus one (1) hour
ETA plus and minus one (1) hour
0-0 up to but not including
3,000-3 or better
published minimums
Published minimums up to but
not including 3,000-3 (single-piloted absolute
NON-
P RE CISION
minimums 200-1/2)
P RECISION
PAR
ILS
*Published
*Published
Published
minimums
minimums
minimums
plus
plus 300-1
plus
200-1/2
200-1/2
3,000-3 or better
No alternate required
*In the case of single-piloted or other aircraft with only one operable UHF/VHF transceiver,
radar approach minimums may not be used as the basis for selection of an alternate airfield.
Figure 11: IFR FILING CRITERIA
(4-01) Original
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