Charts & Plates

In most of the world, a shiny, new RNAV approach that lowers minimums by 500 feet is cause for celebration. Not so at Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. At least thats what one Alaskan pilot and IFR reader tells me. Our phone call puzzling out a potential solution revealed limitations of cockpit tech, the practicality of old-school scud running, and a potential remedy by blending the two.

There are some things that you never expect to see together, and they surprise you when used in the same context: West Texas referred to as alpine, Donald Trumps name beside front runner, and hashtags on approach charts, I cant explain that second one, but the first and last make sense when digging into the RNAV (GPS) Rwy 19 approach at E38, a.k.a. Alpine, Texas.

If your aircraft's instrument landing system cannot go below half a mile, you will find trouble with Jeppesen charts, which measure runway visible range by one-eighth of a mile increments.

Prognostic charts (progs) rank among the most used weather charts in aviation. Progs are published four times a day and provide a comprehensive overview of weather across the United States out to 24 hours. Theyre found many places, but the source is the NOAA Aviation Weather Center website under Forecasts > Prog Charts > Low Level. There is also a separate chart set under the Surface tab that ranges out to 8 days in the future, but there are no precipitation markings after 48 hours.

While I was working on my instrument rating, I sought advice from a number of sources. One group of pilot friends said that with an instrument rating-or even now, to get in the habit-I should file/follow Victor airways. Another group says Why? No need to follow land-based navaids; just file direct.

Back when Southwest Airlines was the upstart operating out of airports nearby major cities rather than in them, everyone in New England knew about Manchester Airport (KMHT). They even call it the Boston-Manchester Airport, even though it was an hours drive away in a different state. Now Southwest flies to Bostons Logan Airport, and KMHT is more a sleepy reliever field. However, its still an aviation trendsetter, and this trend is open to anyone looking for more efficiency.

I used to get occasional in-person briefings when I lived in the Emerald City. Thatd be Seattle, Wash., not somewhere in Oz, but it might as well have been a fairy tale for all it matters now. Before the mid-80s there were over 350 FSSs around the country. Unless youre in Alaska, thats all gone. Flight Service (run by LockMart under contract) briefs over the phone-if you bother to call at all.Thats a real loss, because I always learned something in those one-on-one briefings. The briefer would point to a Prog chart showing low pressure moving into British Columbia: Now this looks like its gonna roll right through the south tip of Vancouver Island. If that happens, the winds will be blowing like stink when you try to get back here tomorrow. Youll have great groundspeed, but landing could be tricky ...

Tucked in a seam between the Green and Taconic Mountains, with the Adirondacks just to the west across the Champlain Valley, Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport (KRUT) serves a variety of aircraft from biz jets to homebuilts. The appeal of Vermont scenery and skiing tempts vacationers into Rutland despite the surrounding hills.

Back when I used to teach science classes for elementary school students and their teachers, we used to say that a great question was one that generated an answer plus two more questions. Such it is with the RNAV (GPS) Rwy 33 approach to Easton, Md.

Ground Delay Program and EDCT Program notices are transmitted to ATC facilities in a format that tells the receiving facility the type of program, the reason for the program, and when they should receive an update.

With time travel still being science fiction and all, there arent many options for predicting the future. That hasnt stopped the government from doing their best to create software tools to do just that.

With so many sources for PDF versions of government approach plates, available on the internet, its easy to get a quick book of approaches for your local area. People who need just a chart or two usually click the link on AOPAs web tool or Fltplan.com and print the chart.