You are flying an ILS approach into an uncontrolled pattern. The weather in the pattern permits VFR. There are other pilots buzzing around the airport. As you change from ATC’s frequency to the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency, what are you thinking about? Completing that ILS? Sure. If you are like me, you are thinking […]

When you cannot comply with an ATC clearance, the magic word to use is “unable”. Simply saying “unable”, and nothing else, might not get you completely off the hook with ATC. I’ll explain why, and what to do about in this month’s edition of IFR Flight Radio. Show Resources From the Aeronautical Information Manual’s Pilot/Controller […]

“Cessna 9130 Delta, Ardmore Clearance, I have a full route clearance. Advise when ready to copy.” Uh oh. A fire hose of information is about to come across the radio. Are you ready to take it all in and write it down? I would argue, copying a full route IFR clearance is one of the […]

You are taking radar vectors to an ILS approach. The controller points out traffic you are following. You report the traffic in sight. ATC tells you to follow the traffic and clears you for a visual approach. Two minutes later, you lose sight of the traffic you were supposed to follow. Now what?! Also in […]

Cutting a corner by requesting direct to a point further along your route of flight could save time and fuel. An enroute air traffic controller will try to honor your request if circumstances permit. First and foremost it pays to know how to make a request direct to a point. We’ll discuss all the particulars […]

If your IFR training was like mine, you spent a lot of time taking radar vectors to instrument approaches using approach control service. Less time was spent working with enroute center controllers. Communicating with an enroute controller at an air route traffic control center (ARTCC) is its own special skill. In today’s show, we’ll look […]

How good are you at hanging on to an ATC clearance that is long and complicated? Houston Center says, “Commanche 448 Juliette Mike, reduce speed to 160, then descend and maintain 9,000 thousand. The Galveston altimeter is 29.86.” In this week’s edition of IFR Flight Radio, I’ll give you tips and techniques for recording and […]

Do you know what you are required to read back when ATC issues a clearance to you? Apparently a lot of pilots–including high-time pros–don’t know what they are required to read back. A contact of mine at Chicago Approach Control said he is pulling his hair out because many pilots do not read back his […]