Pilot Institute

JANUARY 14, 2025

Even driving a car can be dangerous in foggy weather. While it is particularly useful in low visibility or poor weather conditions, it is not limited to such situations. Air travel would be significantly reduced if aircraft were limited to landing only when the weather was perfect. Lets learn more about this system!

Approach 98

Approach Descent Runway Instrument Landing System 98

Air Facts

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

It was early winter, but the current skies and projected weather looked favorable, so I decided to fly rather than drive. I decided to fly first and eat later due to approaching weather (mistake #1), and, after a weather briefing, estimated I could get to Chicago (DuPage Airport (KDPA)) before the weather from the west did (mistake #2).

Ceiling 90

Ceiling AGL Weather Threshold 90

Air Facts

MAY 5, 2025

Take into consideration that weather reporting, and the dissemination of these reports to pilots, was not as accurate then as it is now. In just six months I would reflect on my training and agonize over how inadequately I had been prepared for the real world of instrument flying, which is weather.

VOR 52

VOR Weather Approach Runway 52

Air Facts

MAY 7, 2025

The equipment was often not much modernized from the military days so the pilots likely hoped for good weather as they filed their flight plans. The longest runways had front course and back course ILS (Instrument Landing Systems) and an on-field VOR that provided navigation and approach capabilities for aircraft on instrument flights.

Weight-Shift-Control 52

Weight-Shift-Control VOR Runway Distance Measuring Equipment 52

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. The hold over “Kingston” VOR? Usually, it will be a ground-based navigational aid such as a VOR or NDB.

Airplanes 52

Airplanes Crosswind Approach Knot 52

Pilot Institute

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

Before RNAV, pilots had to rely on radios (NAVAIDs) and antennas on the ground such as VORs (Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range) and NDBs (Non-Directional Beacons). Approach Minimums When youre flying in bad weather and cant see much, you can rely on your trusty instruments to guide you. So, when do you make that switch?

Approach 52

Approach Pilot Descent Airplanes 52

Photographic Logbook

JULY 11, 2024

However, a forecast for low IFR weather in that part of Maine led us to cancel it. I had no interest in flying one hour north only to be shut out of our destination by weather below minimums for the available instrument approach procedure. Still the better part of an hour away from home, weather conditions were concerning.

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Weather Runway 52