This lesson is a quick overview of the airway system in the United States. Airways are the "highways in the sky" that connect each point in the United States. Airways tell air traffic controllers where we are going and how we are going to get there. Without airways, all aircraft would be free to amble their way across the country on their own and in their own direction. Most … [Read more...] about An Overview of Airways
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Departing an Airport Without a SID
John wrote to us on our website to ask how he would file a flight plan from an airport that did not have a Standard Instrument Departure Procedure since most airports do not have a Standard Instrument Departure or SID. In this lesson we take a look at how you would file a flight plan from Troy Municipal Airport in Troy, Alabama. Troy does not lie on a victor airway, nor does it … [Read more...] about Departing an Airport Without a SID
How To Intercept and Fly DME Arcs
Note: This lesson uses a 2-4 degree rule of thumb for adjusting heading and radial. I know that the often taught method is "twist 10 turn 10" but for this lesson I chose to use the method outlined in the Instrument Flying Handbook just for standardization. DME Arcs may seem scary to new instrument pilots, but given a few quick and easy tips they can be as easy as tracking any … [Read more...] about How To Intercept and Fly DME Arcs
How Much Ice Will it Take?
A light drizzle was falling from the low overcast layer. The Charleston, West Virginia tower was reporting VFR, but it was a day no one really wanted to be out flying. Our pilot had just flown his Cessna 172 in from Upstate New York and was making a quick fuel stop on his way down to Memphis. The next leg of his journey was about 4 hours and he was eager to be done for the … [Read more...] about How Much Ice Will it Take?
Class B Airspace
Class B airspace is the most complex type of controlled airspace. The purpose of Class B airspace to create a safe area for busy airports, that is free of most VFR general aviation traffic. a. Definition. Generally, that airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation’s busiest airports in terms of IFR operations or passenger enplanements. The configuration … [Read more...] about Class B Airspace