33
votes
Can you fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments?
With basic instruments (altimeter, speed and climb indicator and compass): Forget it!
A glider can enter a cloud when thermalling into it from below. Below the cloud the rising air was governed by ...
- 228k
23
votes
What should a pilot flying IFR in IMC and on final, do if the vacuum system fails?
Your scenario isn't really realistic, the turn coordinator and the AI are almost always on different sources of power to protect against this very event. The TC is almost always electrically driven ...
- 52.8k
17
votes
Accepted
Is it possible for a civilian to use a VORTAC station?
Totally legal to tune it up & use it. If it is a VORTAC, it will work just like every other VORTAC out there. If it is a TACAN, you may be able to get DME from it, but you won”t get bearing from ...
- 48.8k
17
votes
Accepted
What should a pilot flying IFR in IMC and on final, do if the vacuum system fails?
GdD’s answer is accurate (up vote). My answer will be more step by step.
The first thing you should do is recognize the issue. That might not be immediately easy depending on your aircraft and it’s ...
- 16.5k
16
votes
Accepted
Does an IFR flight-plan include the approach?
US-based answer. No, the specific instrument approach is not part of the flight plan and is not included in the initial IFR clearance.
The flight plan is just that, a plan. It can change in flight, ...
- 13.2k
15
votes
Can you fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments?
Yes it is possible to fly in cloud in a glider. In fact there is an endorsement for it for your licence with an exam. (In the UK anyway.)
It does only require primary instruments, the one used for ...
- 383
14
votes
Accepted
What stops a pilot from flying VFR and going IFR?
You are confusing VFR, VMC, IFR and IMC. Let’s briefly define the terms before I attempt to answer your question:
VFR – Visual Flight Rules. The pilot navigates at will, but must comply with cloud ...
- 24.1k
13
votes
Accepted
Why publish an unusable airway?
Short answer: only part of the airway is unusable, and even then it's usable with GPS.
Your image shows V522 between FAILS intersection and the ERI VOR but you have to look at the full airway, which ...
- 71.5k
13
votes
Accepted
Symbol found on an IFR low chart
More context would be better. The screenshot you posted indicates that there is a navaid information box above and to the left of the symbol, but you cut it off so we cannot see what it says. If we ...
- 13.2k
12
votes
Does an IFR flight-plan include the approach?
What you’re missing is that DJL8W is a Standard Terminal Arrival Procedure (STAR) to the Paris area. Here is an (out of date) chart:
This procedure takes you from DJL to OKIPA, which is an Initial ...
- 27.6k
11
votes
How does Jeppesen create its US charts?
FAA/NACO charts aren't masters, either
The master form of a FAA instrument approach procedure isn't the FAA/NACO approach plate for that procedure -- that plate is a derived document, just like the ...
11
votes
Accepted
Should IFR flight plans in the USA still have one waypoint per sector in 2023?
This is a holdover from the old HOST computer system that was installed in all enroute air traffic control facilities (ARTCC's) in the mid-70's. The original code was written in just 16MB of RAM. All ...
- 1,560
10
votes
Can you fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments?
I'm offering this answer more for amusement to readers than anything;
everything is factual first-person observation by me.
No. I cannot fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments.
When I was ...
- 655
10
votes
Can you fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments?
It would be difficult to stay stable for any length of time because those basic instruments give you almost no information on your angle of bank.
If you could manage to keep your spirit compass on a ...
- 37.4k
10
votes
Accepted
Why does this Garmin GMA340 have an Airway/Inner marker indicator?
The "A" is not an inner marker. The A is an airway marker. Airway markers were part of a now-obsolete system of "red" airways. They were placed along the enroute path and they could be picked up at ...
- 28.3k
10
votes
Accepted
What does ''NAV ILS OUT OF SERVICE'' mean?
It means exactly what it says. The ILS is out of service, so you can't use it.
An ILS can consist of several different elements, for example localizer, glidepath, DME, inner/middle/outer markers as ...
- 35.7k
9
votes
Accepted
Does altimeter setting affect the vertical guidance in a LPV approach?
Short Answer:
No, the vertical component of LPV approach performance is based on WAAS GPS input, not the altimeter or barometric system.
Longer Answer:
Your assumption about LPV performance is ...
- 16.5k
9
votes
Why are there GPS MOCAs?
MOCAs provide minimum obstacle clearance, as you note; MEAs also provide this—and more.
MOCAs are determined essentially the same across the board. The question that I think you should ask is why is ...
- 16.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Can ATC provide vectors and separation service to and between IFR aircraft in areas where radar coverage does not exist using ADS-B only?
Yes. In the United States, ADS-B may be used as the sole surveillance source for the provision of ATC services (including IFR-IFR separation) provided that the automation system ("radar scope&...
- 13.2k
7
votes
Can you fly a glider in a cloud on primary instruments?
I was taught to fly in cloud using basic instruments in 1976. The problem was one of staying in the cloud without exiting through the side. In the event of losing control, the drill was to open the ...
7
votes
Accepted
Is there a roadmap to satellite / inertial only based navigation?
I'm not aware of any program at present that does away with ground based infrastructure completely. Present plans are to have the ground based stations as a backup in case of a GNSS outage/...
- 99.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Do GA IFR flights out of airports w/ SIDs typically use them? What about STARs?
I cannot speak for all of General Aviation (GA), but throughout the IFR portion of my flying career I have generally used SIDs wherever available.
NOTE: This choice of using SIDs was not always mine, ...
- 16.5k
7
votes
On an inverted aircraft, is the ILS glide slope sensing reversed?
Well first off said stunt is illegal under 91.303 aerobatic flight regs and 91.13 careless and reckless operation of an aircraft. And it's also very dangerous. But no, it would not result in reverse ...
- 72.1k
7
votes
Accepted
Why is there a GPS/RNAV waypoint co-located with a VOR?
In the US, the FAA has done this alot, as in their long term plan to phase out a lot of the VORs. Doing that, they're preemptively just adding a Fix for procedures on top of the VOR so they don't have ...
- 6,329
7
votes
Accepted
What are the lateral sensitivities of GPS approaches?
Check out AIM 1-1-9 for localizer information. Basically, the localizer is positioned so to have a course width of 700' at the threshold. So full deflection to either side is 350'. A CDI has 5 dots on ...
- 7,371
7
votes
Is it possible for a civilian to use a VORTAC station?
Absolutely. A VORTAC is nothing more than a VOR colocated with a TACAN. Most VOR-DMEs in the US are VORTACs. If there happens to be one located on a base you are certainly still able to use it.
- 1,338
7
votes
What is the difference between RNAV and RNP?
RNP is a superset of RNAV requirements. It applies and communicates a performance specification for RNAV that may vary by location rather than by equipment.
On board performance monitoring in RNP ...
- 18.8k
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