Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

The Cessna 150 Since I was the only instrument rated pilot on the team, and the weather was marginal VFR, I chose to fly the 172, N7358G, up to Fairfield on an IFR flight plan above the clouds at 7,000 feet. My IFR flight plan called for a climb through some 4,000′ of clouds up to a cruise altitude of 7,000 feet.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

To log the approach toward instrument currency the flight must remain on an IFR flight plan throughout the approach and landing. the ILS approach can be credited regardless of actual weather if you are issued an IFR clearance. For any flight above an altitude of 1,200 feet AGL, when the visibility is less than 3 miles.

Instrument Flight Rules 52

Instrument Flight Rules Ceiling Descent Approach 52

Air Facts

AUGUST 16, 2024

I fly a Rockwell Commander 114B which I flight plan at 14 gph and 140 kts. It turns out that an Air Canada flight from Toronto to Orlando would have cost $1,646.00 (CND with taxes) but going Air Phil is way more fun. Friday was a day to decompress, spending time around the pool and preparing the Commander for the flight home.

Weather 98

Weather Knot Ceiling Turbulence 98

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 17, 2024

Additionally, a pilot should report any of the following events:: When vacating any previously assigned altitude or flight level for a newly assigned altitude or flight level ( AIM 5-3-3 ) When an altitude change will be made if operating on a clearance specifying VFR-on-top. ( Each is defined by varying ceilings and visibility.

Instrument Flight Rules 52

Instrument Flight Rules AGL Ceiling True Airspeed 52

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

First, I planned to fly into midsize airports equipped with both approach radar and an operating tower. While the temptation to find cheaper gas at an uncontrolled field loomed large, the extra services provided by the approach control, clearance delivery, and a busier FBO seemed to make more sense. It was time to divert.

Weather 91

Weather Clearance Pilot Airplanes 91

Flying Magazine

MAY 15, 2024

These flights work best if they are limited to an airport 10 to 15 miles away. VFR to MVFR…then 2 miles visibility and a ceiling of 1,200 feet agl. Have the learner go through a flight from start-up to shutdown using the GPS. It’s just a few minutes, right? What could go wrong? Then the CFI slowly brings the weather down.

Crosswind 110

Crosswind VOR Airplanes Runway 110

Flight Training Central

FEBRUARY 19, 2024

When flying IFR, ATC is working with you for the entire flight, from the clearance before you depart or slightly after you takeoff and pickup up a clearance in the air until you land, get close enough to your destination to cancel your IFR, or choose to cancel at some intermediate point. There are lots of benefits to doing this.

Pilot 52

Pilot Clearance Weather Approach 52

Flight Training Central

MARCH 18, 2024

For example, a pilot flying IFR in controlled airspace will have to file an IFR flight plan and receive an ATC clearance. For VFR flight, controlled airspace means increased cloud clearance and visibility requirements. Note that no clearance is required to enter Class C, just establishment of communications.

AGL 52

AGL Indicated Airspeed Clearance Transponder 52

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 4, 2024

More often than not, winter flying in Upstate New York is contingent on the ceiling. Ceilings are often too low to fly beneath and slowly climbing through a cloud layer of indeterminate thickness in sub-freezing temperatures risks icing. However, a persistent low ceiling scuttled those morning plans.

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Pilot Weather 52

Photographic Logbook

APRIL 19, 2024

On Wednesday, April 17, I broke ground exactly at 11:00 am as planned. I expected to manage some cloud layers during the New York portion of the flight, but the forecast called for a high ceiling at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. It added less than 10 minutes to the overall flight time. Famous last words.)

Approach 77

Approach Wind Shear Runway VOR 77

Pilot Institute

MARCH 6, 2025

AGL is important for drone pilots as the regular ceiling for drone flight is defined as 400 feet AGL. In contrast to a control tower, an FSS is not responsible for giving instructions or clearances to aircraft. Pilots are required to check for NOTAMs along their relevant routes or locations before the start of a flight.

Pilot 52

Pilot Weather Air Traffic Control NOTAMs 52

Pilot Institute

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

You might think that Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) are just about how to control and use your instruments in the aircraft, but you need more than skill–you need a rock-solid plan. IFR flight planning is about preparing for every twist and turn along the route. What Is an IFR Flight Plan?

Flight Plan 52

Flight Plan Pilot Weather Approach 52

Photographic Logbook

JULY 9, 2024

Exactly like NYC, downtown Boston is encircled by restrictive Class Bravo airspace down to the surface that requires explicit clearance to enter. Date Aircraft Route of Flight Time (hrs) Total (hrs) 09 July 2024 N21481 BVY (Beverly, MA) - BVY 1.2 November Four Eight One, continue inbound, you'll get your Bravo clearance from Tower."

Clearance 52

Clearance Runway Approach Stability 52

Gary's Flight Journal

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

To start our flying day I must stress the most important part of flight planning, ADM, Aeronautical Decision Making. It's now 7am and our planned departure time was 9am arriving just after noon. I called the clearance delivery number on the OXB NOTAM but they gave me another number to call. Departure Day!

VOR 52

VOR Weather Clearance Approach 52

Air Facts

MAY 27, 2024

In fact, if I could visually see a cloud deck from the ground, it would mean the troposphere ended at around 3,000 feet for me regardless of what the actual ceilings were. For example, I’ve watched a friend flight plan across two state lines at a cool 2,500 feet.

Ceiling 97

Ceiling Turbulence Approach Clearance 97

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Off Sodus, I briefly leveled at 2,500 feet to remain visual until I received my instrument clearance from Rochester Approach. During flight planning, I determined that 8,000 feet would provide the best wind advantage of the available preferred westbound IFR cruise altitudes. It must have been the mutton chops.

Runway 89

Runway Approach Knot Drag 89

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 13, 2023

A Dunkin' in Jasper, GA made for makeshift flight planning space as we waited on fog to lift at Pickens County Airport. While I anticipated an IFR departure that morning, I wanted to see ceiling and visibility of at least 300 feet and a mile to avoid smacking into mountainous terrain around Pickens County Airport during take-off.

Approach 52

Approach Ceiling Runway Clearance 52

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 28, 2023

Once the rain relented, we staggered our departures and called for our IFR clearances on the ground. Despite those ground clearances, we found that the ceiling above our home airport was high enough to accommodate VFR departures with airborne clearances. Better safe than sorry.

Clearance 52

Clearance Knot Instrument Meteorological Conditions Airplanes 52

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

A pit stop at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (KCRE) was planned, and after a weather briefing, I filed an IFR flight plan. KCPC was reporting IFR conditions with a 700’ ceiling and one mile visibility. Unicom also confirmed the weather was still showing a 700’ ceiling with one mile of visibility.

Descent 98

Descent Approach Weather AGL 98

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 20, 2023

All it takes is a note in the flight plan "requesting no route across Lake Erie" to catch a human's eye and inspire intervention. Date Aircraft Route of Flight Time (hrs) Total (hrs) 20 Aug 2023 N21481 PTK (Waterford, MI) - SDC (Sodus, NY) 2.5 Though I remained within the clouds for the rest of the flight home, roughly 0.7

Runway 52

Runway Airplanes Approach Final Approach 52

Air Facts

APRIL 11, 2025

The same is true with personal minimums: Try to fill out these numbers honestly since your EFB can alarm you if the crosswinds or ceilings at your source or destination are beyond the pale. But you could also do all your planning by using the dedicated Flight Plan page as well. Same goes with traffic and terrain.

Cockpit 52

Cockpit Flight Plan Pilot Transponder 52