What are the rules for IFR in aviation?
(a) Operation of aircraft at minimum altitudes. Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, or unless otherwise authorized by the FAA, no person may operate an aircraft under IFR below - (1) The applicable minimum altitudes prescribed in parts 95 and 97 of this chapter.
What is the Minimum Enroute Altitude for IFR flights?
For this reason, it’s common for IFR flight to only take place at or above the minimum enroute altitude, 11000 feet here. At the MEA, not only do we have the obstruction clearance guaranteed just like at the MOCA, but we get signal coverage along the entire route of flight, 91 miles on this segment.
What is the minimum safe altitude for an airplane?
14 CFR § 91.119 - Minimum safe altitudes: General. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. (d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft.
When do you climb to a higher IFR altitude?
(b) Climb. Climb to a higher minimum IFR altitude shall begin immediately after passing the point beyond which that minimum altitude applies, except that when ground obstructions intervene, the point beyond which that higher minimum altitude applies shall be crossed at or above the applicable MCA.
What is minimum IFR altitude Mia?
The minimum vectoring altitude [or minimum IFR altitude (MIA)] in each sector provides 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle in non-mountainous areas and 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle in designated mountainous areas.
What is the minimum IFR altitude a pilot can fly while over a mountainous areas?
2,000 feetNo person may operate an aircraft under IFR including over-the-top or at night under VFR at an altitude less than 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of five miles from the center of the intended course, or, in designated mountainous areas, less than 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle ...
What is a low IFR?
1. Low Instrument Flight Rules (LIFR): Ceilings are less than 500 feet above ground level and/or visibility is less than 1 mile. LIFR = <500′ and/or <1 mile. In other words, even experienced IFR pilots may have a hard time landing.
What is the maximum IFR altitude you may fly in an unpressurized?
What is the maximum IFR altitude you may fly in an unpressurized aircraft without providing passengers with supplemental oxygen? 15,000 feet.
What are IFR cruising altitudes?
§ 91.179 IFR cruising altitude or flight level. (ii) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even thousand foot MSL altitude (such as 2,000, 4,000, or 6,000). (ii) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even flight level (such as 180, 200, or 220).
What altitude may a pilot on an IFR flight plan select Upon receiving a VFR on top clearance?
12,000 feet. What altitude may a pilot on an IFR flight plan select upon receiving a VFR-on-Top clearance? Any appropriate VFR altitude at or above the MEA in VFR weather conditions.
Can a student pilot fly MVFR?
Can Student Pilot Fly MVFR? A student pilot is not authorized to fly MVFR. This is according to FAR 61.89 that states a student pilot may not act as pilot in command “with a flight or surface visibility of less than 3 statute miles during daylight hours or 5 statute miles at night.”
How do you read a low IFR chart?
3:1414:54Ep. 201: IFR Low Enroute Charts Explained | Basics Part 1 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis number here doesn't tell you the height of the highest obstacle it gives you the altitude youMoreThis number here doesn't tell you the height of the highest obstacle it gives you the altitude you should fly at or the minimal change you could fly out if you're off route in that area.
Can you fly lower than the MEA?
The MVA meets IFR obstacle clearance criteria. It can be lower than the published MEA along an airway. MVA requires an adequate radar return from the aircraft. They can be lower than the minimum altitudes otherwise published on charts.
What minimum equipment is required for IFR flight?
It currently states that the minimum equipment required for IFR flight is 'two-way radio communications systems and navigational equipment suitable for the route to be flown'.
What are the basic VFR minimums?
One mile visibility and "clear of clouds" is the daytime requirement. At night, requirements jump to three miles visibility and from merely "clear of clouds" to 500 feet below, 2,000 feet horizontal, and 1,000 feet above clouds. Some identify it as "G for general aviation."
What is an unpressurized aircraft?
Think of a pressurized cabin as a balloon that has a leak but is being inflated continuously. On the ground, the airplane is unpressurized and the outflow valve is wide open. During preflight, the pilot sets the cruise altitude on a cabin pressure controller.
How close can you fly to mountains?
In almost every case, with less than 500 feet of altitude. you should not attempt to return to the airport. Make an off airport landing straight ahead, maintaining control of the airplane until landing. the ridge elevation plus at least 1,000 feet.
How low can you fly over populated areas?
91.119 Minimum safe altitudes; general (b) Over congested areas – Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
What does minimum safe altitude guarantee?
MINIMUM SECTOR ALTITUDE [ICAO]- The lowest altitude which may be used under emergency conditions which will provide a minimum clearance of 300 m (1,000 feet) above all obstacles located in an area contained within a sector of a circle of 46 km (25 NM) radius centered on a radio aid to navigation.
Can single engine fixed wing can be used to fly IFR in mountainous terrain?
(4) Reciprocating-engine-powered single engine IFR and VFR over-the-top flights shall not be permitted in designated mountainous areas as depicted in 14 CFR 95. (Note: This does not preclude pilots from filing an IFR flight plan and flying under IFR control when weather conditions are VMC.)
What is the minimum IFR altitude?
The Minimum IFR Altitude (MIA) is a reference altitude that establishes the absolute minimum altitude for enroute IFR flight in a given area. The default MIA is 1000 feet above the highest obstacle within 4 miles of the course to be flown (2000 feet in designated mountainous areas). This is defined in FAR 91.177. MIAs are charted by the FAA, but those charts are not detailed and are not always up-to-date.
What does IFR stand for in aviation?
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules and VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules. GIven that, an aircraft flying under VFR rules has minimum requirements for visibility and distance from clouds. The aircraft flying IFR has neither. But the IFR aircraft isn’t necessarily flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
What does "rules" mean in aviation?
The “Rules” mean the specific set of rules that you’re bound by when flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and IFR (Instrument Flight Rules)
What does IFR stand for?
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules and VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules. GIven that, a
What is the altimeter setting for a flight?
Within the continental United States, when operating at assigned altitudes below 18,000 ft , local altimeter settings for the departure airport are used. Once assigned anything at or above 18,000 ft (referred to as Flight Levels) all altimeters are reset to 29.92 in and remain at that setting until descending back down below 18,000 ft, at which time the local altimeter setting for the destination airport is set.
What is ground school in aviation?
Anyone that has taken even the first hour of aviation training in what is called “ground school” (that is the classroom as opposed to being in the cockpit) knows that the discussion of weather and how to assess possible flight conditions is repeatedly and constantly emphasized by every instructor and every fellow pilot as well as every aviation publication, training video, and safety workshop. It has been this way since the days of the Wright Brothers (in fact, well before them),
Can IMC be worse than forecast?
So, the ultimate answer to the question is, no one should be surprised if they encounter IMC during their flight. The information is there. It is true that conditions can change and may be worse than forecast, but nearly always when one finds oneself in unplanned IMC, its because of pushing past the point where an effective decision should have been made to turn around or to divert to a different airport before the conditions deteriorated.
What is the minimum reception altitude?
This one is at the LINDE fix, and has a flag with an R on it. This is a Minimum Reception Altitude or MRA, and it’s listed underneath the fix name at 5,500 feet. Fixes along airways are often identified using cross radials, in other words, they’re the intersection of radials from two or more VORs.
How high is the airway line on a Victor 172?
An aircraft flying east to west would start at the initial MEA listed at 3,500 feet. At the LINDE intersection, the airway line is broken up by two sideways T symbols, meaning the MEA changes at that point. So our aircraft would fly at 3,500 feet initially, and then when reaching LINDE, would start a climb to the next higher MEA, of 5,500 feet.
How far away from the VOR station can you pick up a signal?
In addition to obstacle clearance, we are also assured some navigational coverage from the two VOR stations making up this segment of the airway. As long as we are within 22 nautical miles of wither VOR station, we will be able to use them to navigate along the route. If we go beyond 22 miles, because of our lower altitude, we may not be able to pick up either VOR station, due to terrain limiting our line of sight of the signals at a greater distance. Without navigational coverage, our VOR receiver will switch to OFF mode, and we won’t be able to navigate along the airway, until we get within 22 miles of the next VOR station at Boysen Resevoir, and are able to pick up that signal.
How far above the MOCA is obstruction clearance?
If we are flying at or above the MOCA, 10,300 feet, we are guaranteed obstruction clearance along the whole route. Specifically, we have 1000 feet of clearance above the highest obstacle within 4 miles of the airway centerline, or 2000 feet of clearance in designated mountainous terrain.
Where is the VOR on the map?
Usually some of these VORs lie off the victor airway, you can tell at the top of the map that a VOR that lies to the north, off of this airway, is being used to identify the LINDE fix. The MRA is the lowest altitude where we would be able to not only navigate along the victor airway, but also determine the LINDE fix using all the off route navaids.
When can we start climbing?
Normally, we can start our climb when we reach the fix where the MEA changes, and as long as we maintain our minimum climb gradient, we’re fine. But here, we have a further restriction that forces us to start the climb earlier, so we can cross the fix at the minimum crossing altitude.
Can you fly at the MOCA?
Like we said, you’ll usually be at or above the MEA. However, sometimes it makes sense to fly at the lower MOCA. When icing conditions are present at higher altitudes, you may be able to ask ATC to descend down to the MOCA and look for warmer or clearer conditions. You can do this if you’re within 22 miles of either navaid.
Finding The Highest Obstacle Or Terrain In Your Area
Whenever you have to fly at a low altitude, you should pay extra attention to the highest obstacles and terrain around you depicted on the sectional chart. Obstacles that extend more than 200 feet AGL are typically shown on sectional charts, unless they are within the yellow tint of a city.
FAR 91.119 Covers Minimum Safe Altitudes
The FAA covers minimum safe altitudes in 14 CFR 91.119. In this article, we'll focus on airplanes because helicopters have entirely separate minimum altitude regulations.
You're Flying Over A Congested Area (91.119-b)
If you're flying over a congested, populated area, the FAA has a relatively strict minimum safe altitude published. Here's the verbatim language of 91.119 (b):
Flying Low Passes
For decades, the FAA has maintained the viewpoint that low passes aren't necessary for takeoff or landing. If you're not configured for landing (gear down, flaps out), the FAA will assume you weren't "performing a go-around ," if that's your planned rationale.
You're Flying Over "Other Than A Congested Area" (91.119-c)
If you're flying over a depopulated area, like open fields or open water, the FAA is a little more lenient. Here's what 91.119 (c) says about "other than congested areas:"
What is the best altitude for an IFR pilot?
IFR Pilots flying on a magnetic course (track) of 180 degrees through 359 degrees should fly on an even thousand foot MSL altitude. Example IFR Cruising altitudes would be 4,000 feet, 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet etc.
What is the minimum altitude required for a VFR flight?
3,000 AGL. Designated Cruising Altitudes are required for flights operating at more than 3,000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). When a pilot is operating at more than 3,000 feet above the surface, they are to fly at an altitude appropriate for their direction of flight. Airplanes flown VFR at 3,000 or less AGL are not required to fly ...
What is the cruising altitude for a pilot?
Pilots operating at or below 3,000 feet AGL may fly at other altitudes. Also, these cruising altitudes do not apply when the airplane is turning or manoeuvring while practicing flight manoeuvres such as stalls, steep turns, and other activities.
How high is a MSL?
On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees, any odd thousand foot MSL altitude +500 feet (such as 3,500, 5,500, or 7,500)
What is flight level 350?
Flight levels are described by a number, which is this nominal altitude (“pressure altitude”) in feet, divided by 100. Therefore an apparent altitude of, for example, 35,000 feet is referred to as “flight level 350”.
Why do pilots use vertical separation?
Vertical Separation. In the air, pilots use vertical separation to help avoid collisions with other oncoming traffic. Pilots fly at different altitudes for different directions of flight. This altitude separation works like traffic lanes to keep aircraft flying in different directions from colliding into each other.
How high is the altitude of an aircraft?
Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
How high can an aircraft be?
An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Can you fly an airplane below the altitude?
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
How high is the IFR clearance?
The altitude restriction in your IFR clearance is to "CRUISE 7000 FEET" there is a 5000 foot MEA on your filed airway. What altitude may you use
What happens when you fly on an IFR plan?
While flying on an IFR flight plan, you experience two way communications radio failure while in VFR conditions. In the situation, you should continue your flight under
What is a flight manual supplement?
Flight manual supplement. Under which condition must the pilot in command of a civil aircraft have at least an instrument rating. For a flight in VFR conditions on an IFR flight plan. To operate an aircraft under IFR, a flight plan must have been filed and an ATC clearance received prior to.
What is the EFC time for an IFR flight?
During an IFR flight in IMC, you enter a holding pattern (at a fix that is not the same as the approach fix) with an EFC time of 1530. At 1520 you experience complete 2-way communications failure. Which procedure should you follow to execute the approach to a landing
Can you declare an emergency while flying under IFR?
You declare an emergency while flying under IFR. ATC may request a detailed report if you
Can a pilot be a pilot in command?
No pilot may act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR unless that pilot has, within the preceding 6 calendar months, completed at least
When should pilots be vigilant?
Pilots should be especially vigilant when conducting line up and wait operations at night or during reduced visibility conditions. They should scan the full length of the runway and look for aircraft on final approach or landing roll out when taxiing onto a runway. ATC should be contacted anytime there is a concern about a potential conflict.
When do pilots call ground control?
When the IFR clearance is received on clearance delivery frequency, pilots call ground control when ready to taxi. Normally, pilots need not inform ground control that they have received IFR clearance on clearance delivery frequency. Certain locations may, however, require that the pilot inform ground control of a portion ...
What to do if a pilot cannot establish contact on clearance delivery frequency?
If a pilot cannot establish contact on clearance delivery frequency or has not received an IFR clearance before ready to taxi, the pilot should contact ground control and inform the controller accordingly.
What is ATC's departure restriction?
ATC may assign departure restrictions, clearance void times, hold for release, and release times, when necessary, to separate departures from other traffic or to restrict or regulate the departure flow.
What runway is Cessna 210 holding in position?
Tower: “Delta 1011, continue, traffic a Cessna 210 holding in position Runway 24L.”. ATC will normally withhold landing clearance to arrival aircraft when another aircraft is in position and holding on the runway. Never land on a runway that is occupied by another aircraft, even if a landing clearance was issued.
How long before taxi time do pilots call?
Participating pilots call clearance delivery or ground control not more than 10 minutes before proposed taxi time.
Is a star a part of a flight plan?
STARs, when filed in a flight plan, are considered a part of the filed route of flight and will not normally be stated in an initial departure clearance. If the ARTCC's jurisdictional airspace includes both the departure airport and the fix where a STAR or STAR transition begins, the STAR name, the current number and the STAR transition name MAY be stated in the initial clearance.
What is required to operate an aircraft under IFR?
To operate an aircraft under IFR, a flight plan must have been filed and an ATC clearance received prior to. entering controlled airspace. To meet the requirements for flight under IFR, an aircraft must be equipped with certain operable instruments and equipment. One of those required is.
How far is the AGL?
700 feet AGL or more to the base of the overlying controlled airspace.
What is a gyroscopic direction indicator?
Gyroscopic direction indicator. Before beginning any flight under IFR, the pilot in command must become familiar with all available information concerning that flight including: the runway lengths at airports of intended use, and the aircraft's takeoff and landing data.
How long does it take to use oxygen in an airplane?
If an unpressurized aircraft is operated above 12,500 feet MSL, but not more than 14,000 feet MSL, for a period of 2 hours 20 minutes, how long during that time is the minimum flightcrew required to use supplemental oxygen? 1 hour 50 minutes.
What does "B" mean in a runway?
B. designates an intersection of two or more runways.
What is the purpose of runway end identifier lights?
The primary purpose of runway end identifier lights, installed at many airfields, is to provide. rapid identification of the approach end of the runway during reduced visibility. Hold line markings at the intersection of taxiways and runways consist of four lines that extend across the width of the taxiway.
Is a slip skid indicator required for IFR?
No, because the ceiling and visibility are forecast to be at or above 2,000 feet and 3 miles within 1 hour before to 1 hour after the ETA. Aircraft being operated under IFR are required to have, in addition to the equipment required for VFR and night, at least. a slip skid indicator.
