Pilot Institute

JUNE 9, 2025

Pilots use holds for traffic delays, weather, emergencies, planning, or runway changes. Bad Weather Sometimes the airport may not be busy, but conditions at the time aren’t suitable for an airplane to make a safe landing. Runway Changes (or Closure) Where possible, airplanes normally like to land in the wind. Is that it?

Airplanes

Air Facts

JULY 23, 2025

What would really make it stressful was the weather. Eight of these would be non-precision VOR and fixed-card NDB approaches flown to minimums in a non-radar environment. With the weather checked, flight plans filed, and paperwork complete, we walked out of flight operations and headed for the airplane.

NDB

Flying Magazine

MAY 6, 2024

You could also identify this using the R-194 radial crossing from the STL VOR, using an ADF tuned to the NDB station of 227 if you still have one that works, or you can use your audio panel to identify passage of the outer marker beacon. If you are flying this approach and break out, be sure that you land on the correct runway.

VOR

Air Facts

OCTOBER 30, 2024

I’d get a full flight briefing, regardless of the weather. The flying club’s Cessnas and Pipers stood out like a flock of scrawny pigeons as the eagles of Pan Am, TWA, British Airways, and the like lumbered by on their way to and from the runways. Then came the long taxi to the runway. But it wasn’t all hood work with Charlie.

NDB

Fear of Landing

JANUARY 3, 2025

The flight crew requested an NDB approach to Grozny and were cleared for approach to runway 26. The crew repeatedly asked for weather at Mineralnye Vody. Please, request weather Mineralnye Vody. Give us vectoring to Mineralnye Vody, and please give us weather Mineralnye Vody. Flight 8243 : Give us Makhachkala.

Weather