Instrument

Sample Takeoff Briefing

Before Takeoff Checklist
Throttle: 1700 RPM
Magnetos: Checked
Carb Heat: On
Carb Heat: Off
Throttle: Set-800 RPM
Flight Instruments: Set
Takeoff Briefing….huh???
A common problem that I see in many of my students (both primary and advanced) is the failure to adequately brief the takeoff and departure segments.  This is a critical and common mistake with many pilots.  Richard C. Cushing summarized the [...]

What is your on-course heading?

This is a question about a question!
Pilot Mike writes:
Thought I’d throw this one over your way to see what your thoughts are. Hangar flying this question has yielded several different answers from both IR pilots and CFIIs… You are departing an airport on an IFR flight plan; the route is “direct” to your destination. Upon [...]

What the heck is a Q-route?

This is great follow-up question to a previous post, “Can you use a q-route below FL180?”. The question came to me after posting a link to that post on my Twitter profile.
So what the heck is a Q-route?
Well.  There are primarily three types of airways:
1) VOR Federal airways - This is the airway system that [...]

Can you use a Q-route below FL180?

David asked the following:
“Hi, I have a question about Q-routes. I understand they were developed for class A airspace. However, the Q100 airway out of Tampa, Florida has a 6000 foot MEA and a 1500 foot MOCA. Can you use this airway assuming you have /G and say fly at 7000 feet on an IFR flight plan?”
Great [...]

Glass Cockpit or traditional gauges for primary training?

Here is a great question that I received recently from Brian wondering if he should choose an aircraft equipped with a G1000 or an aircraft with traditional instruments for his primary training.  His question:
I’m trying to decide between doing flight training in an airplane with a G1000 cockpit versus an airplane with the traditional mechanical [...]

Holding Entry procedures: Teardrop vs. Parallel

, When entering a holding pattern via a radial intercept that routes you directly over the holding fix (exactly outbound on the inbound radial) should the pilot perform a teardrop or parallel entry?

What is the orgin for the Airway system designators?

I love the question I got recently from Rob who asks:
Paul, What is the origin of the instrument airway routing system and how are the alpha-numerical descriptions based for them?
I liked this question becuase I knew immeadiately after reading it that I didn’t have a clue what the answer was going to be (which isn’t [...]

Communication Failure while landing at KSEA.

What happens if you lose radio communications while arriving at Seattle Int’l (SEA)?
That is the essence of the question asked recently by Michael, a private pilot working on his instrument rating.   Michael, you have just asked a very good question….and one that honestly doesn’t have a good answer.
To try and provide some understanding of [...]

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