Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

The hourly sequence report showed Springfield had a ceiling of 100 feet obscured, a visibility of 3/8 mile and fog with a surface temperature of 30 degrees F. The forecast at our arrival time at Jefferson City was for a ceiling of 1,200′ overcast with a visibility of four miles in fog.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Flying Magazine

MAY 21, 2025

ATC was in communication with the pilot, as the airplane entered several right- and left-hand banks and rolls and entered a steep descent while in a bank angle. The pilot requested Special VFR for low ceilings and visibility, but didnt really express to ATC the issue he was having trying to maintain clearance from the clouds, Sedor said.

Pilot 68

Pilot Air Traffic Control Cockpit Airplanes 68

Flying Magazine

MAY 15, 2024

VFR to MVFR…then 2 miles visibility and a ceiling of 1,200 feet agl. Put the aircraft in level flight to give them a moment to consider their next course of action so they are not anxiously doing climbs, descents, and unplanned turns. Next, introduce the VOR. It’s just a few minutes, right? What could go wrong?

Crosswind 110

Crosswind Airplanes VOR Runway 110

Photographic Logbook

JULY 11, 2024

Moments after climbing through the ceiling over Beverly, MA. We made an IFR departure that morning on runway 16 and climbed above the ceiling in short order. We were assigned a slightly ridiculous alteration to the route I filed: MANCH T316 LAMMS T608 ROC that had us flying past Sodus to the Rochester VOR before setting up for Sodus.

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Weather Runway 52

Photographic Logbook

APRIL 19, 2024

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. The reroute was minimal, an insertion of Yardley VOR (ARD) into my flight plan. I pulled the power back and set a notch of flaps to establish a 90 knot, 500 foot/minute descent.

Approach 77

Approach Wind Shear Runway VOR 77

Air Facts

OCTOBER 30, 2024

Consisting of timed, coordinated climbs and descents, Patterns A and B required the pilot to be on altitude, on heading, and on time. After startup, I’d record a VOR check in the aircraft log while waiting for our clearance. We flew the usual approaches: VOR, ILS, and the now extinct NDB. Then came the long taxi to the runway.

NDB 52

NDB Checkride VOR Approach 52

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 11, 2024

West of the Geneseo VOR, I passed high above Silver Lake and the gorge in Letchworth State Park. Though I am no geologist, I found myself biting my tongue whenever the tour guide -- who otherwise did a fine job -- referred to the ceiling-bound mineral formations as "stalagtites".

Runway 89

Runway Approach Knot Drag 89