FLIGHT
PLANNING BASICS, VFR & IFR
Going to see Aunt Emma in
Boise,ID. you say? Perhaps it’s time to review the basic
techniques of pre-flight planning. Review of the Aeronautical
Information Manual can supply you with very pertinent
information.
5-1-1. PREFLIGHT
PREPARATION
a. Every pilot is
urged to receive a preflight briefing and to file a flight plan.
This briefing should consist of the latest or most current
weather, airport, and en route NAVAID information. Briefing
service may be obtained from an FSS either by telephone, by radio
when airborne, or by a personal visit to the station. Pilots with
a current medical certificate in the 48 contiguous States may
access toll-free the Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS)
through a personal computer. DUATS will provide alpha-numeric
preflight weather data and allow pilots to file domestic VFR or
IFR flight plans.
NOTE-
Pilots filing flight
plans via "fast file " who desire to have their
briefing recorded, should include a statement at the end of the
recording as to the source of their weather briefing.
b. The information
required by the FAA to process flight plans is contained on FAA
Form 7233-1, Flight Plan. The forms are available at all flight
service stations.
c. Consult an FSS or
a Weather Service Office (WSO) for preflight weather briefing.
d. FSS's are
required to advise of pertinent NOTAM's if a standard briefing
is requested, but if they are overlooked, don't hesitate to
remind the specialist that you have not received NOTAM
information.
e. Pilots are urged
to use only the latest issue of aeronautical charts in planning
and conducting flight operations. Charts that have been
superseded by those of a more recent date may contain obsolete or
incomplete flight information.
When requesting a preflight
briefing, identify yourself as a pilot and provide the following:
f. Prior to
conducting a briefing, briefers are required to have the
background information listed above so that they may tailor the
briefing to the needs of the proposed flight. The objective is to
communicate a "picture" of meteorological and
aeronautical information necessary for the conduct of a safe and
efficient flight. Briefers use all available weather and
aeronautical information to summarize data applicable to the
proposed flight. They do not read weather reports and
forecasts verbatim unless specifically requested by the pilot.
5-1-2. FOLLOW IFR
PROCEDURES EVEN WHEN OPERATING VFR
a. To maintain IFR
proficiency, pilots are urged to practice IFR procedures whenever
possible, even when operating VFR. Some suggested practices
include:
1. Obtain a
complete preflight and weather briefing. Check the NOTAM'S.
2. File a flight
plan. This is an excellent low cost insurance policy.
The cost is the time it takes to fill it out. The insurance
includes the knowledge that someone will be looking for you
if you become overdue at your destination.
3. Use current
charts.
4. Use the
navigation aids. Practice maintaining a
good course. Keep the
needle centered.
5. Maintain a
constant altitude which is appropriate for the direction of
flight.
6. Estimate en
route position times.
7. Make accurate
and frequent position reports to
the FSS's along your
route of flight.
b. Simulated IFR
flight is recommended (under the hood); however, pilots are
cautioned to review and adhere to the requirements specified in
FAR Part 91.109 before and during such flight.
c. When flying VFR
at night, in addition to the altitude appropriate for the
direction of flight, pilots should maintain an altitude which is
at or above the minimum en route altitude as shown on charts.
This is especially true in mountainous terrain, where there is
usually very little ground reference. Do not depend on your eyes
alone to avoid rising unlighted terrain, or even lighted
obstructions such as TV towers.
d. When filing an
IFR flight plan for flight in an aircraft equipped with a radar
beacon transponder, DME equipment, TACAN-only equipment, Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), or a combination of any of
these types of equipment, identify the equipment capability by
adding a suffix, preceded by a slant, to the AIRCRAFT TYPE, as
shown in the following table.
AIRC
EQUIPMENT SUFFIXES VOR, TACAN, DME NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
| /X |
no
transponder. |
| /T |
transponder
with no altitude encoding capability. |
| /U |
transponder
with altitude encoding capability. |
| /D |
DME,
but no transponder. |
| /B |
DME
and transponder, but with no altitude encoding
capability. |
| /A |
DME
and transponder with altitude encoding capability. |
| /M |
TACAN
only, but no transponder |
| /N |
TACAN
only and transponder, but with no altitude encoding
capability. |
| /P |
TACAN
only and transponder with altitude encoding capability. |
| |
AREA NAVIGATION SYSTEMS
|
| /R |
RNAV
and transponder with altitude encoding capability. |
| /C |
RNAV
and transposed r, but with no altitude encoding
capability. |
| /W |
RNAV
but no transponder. |
| /G |
Global
Positioning System (GPSYGlobal Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) equipped aircraft with oceanic, en route,
terminal, and GPS approach capability. |
| /E |
Flight
Management System (FMS) with barometric Vertical
Navigation (VNAV), oceanic, en route, terminal, and
approach capability. Equipment requirements are: (a) Dual FMS which meets
the specifications of AC25-15, Approval of Flight
Management Systems in Transport Category Airplanes;
AC20-129, Airworthiness Approval of Vertical Navigation
(VNAV) Systems for use in the U.S. National Airspace
System (NAS) and Alaska; AC20-130, Airworthiness Approval
of Multi-Sensor Navigation Systems for use in the U.S.
National Airspace System (NAS) and Alaska; or equivalent
criteria as approved by Flight Standards.
(b) (b) A flight
director and autopilot control system capable of
following the lateral and vertical FMS flight path.
(c) (c) At least
dual inertial reference units (IRUs).
(d) A database
containing the waypoints and speed/altitude constraints
for the route and/or procedure to be flown that is
automatically loaded into the FMS flight plan.
(e) An electronic
map
|
| /F |
A
single FMS with barometric VNAV, en route, terminal, and
approach capability that meets the equipment requirements
of /E (a) above. |
AIRSHOW
SEASON IS UPON US.
As of this writing
(4-15-98), the following airshows are scheduled and/or
potentially organized in the Fresno District. Check your local
FBO’s for more information.
May 30th MADERA
-- 2. June 6th MERCED-- 3. Sept. 5-7th
FAT Balloons
4. Sept. 25th
CASTLE
June
1998 Aviation Safety Seminars...Module 5:
Flight
Planning Basics, VFR & IFR
When was the last time you really
planned out that long cross-country. Going to see Aunt Emma in
Boise,ID. you say? Review the basic techniques in organizing your
navigation log whether you fly VFR or IFR.
WINGS AWARDS
I WANT
YOU TO ATTEND THE NEXT SAFETY SEMINAR!
Acknowledgment
of a sponsor is not an FAA endorsement of products or services
