Preflight Preparation
Lesson Plans

Introduction:

Preflight Preparation:

  • Pilot Qualifications:

    • Applicants must satisfy the requirements of Section I, Task A by exhibiting satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with the requirements to act as PIC under instrument flight rules

    Knowledge:

    The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of:

    Risk Management:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks, encompassing:
    • IR.I.A.R1:
      Failure to distinguish proficiency versus currency
    • IR.I.A.R2:
      Failure to set personal minimums
    • IR.I.A.R3:
      Failure to ensure fitness for flight and physiological factors that might affect the pilot's ability to fly under instrument conditions
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.A.R4:
      Flying unfamiliar aircraft, or operating with unfamiliar flight display systems, and avionics
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan

    Skills:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to:
    • IR.I.A.S1:
      Apply requirements to act as PIC under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator

  • Weather Information:

    • Applicants must satisfy the requirements of Section I, Task B by exhibiting satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with obtaining, understanding, and applying weather information for a flight under IFR

    Knowledge:

    The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of:
    • IR.I.B.K1:
      Acceptable sources of weather data for flight planning purposes
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.B.K2:
      Weather products and resources utilized for preflight planning, current and forecast weather for departure and en route operations and arrival phases of flight
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.B.K3:
      Meteorology applicable to the departure, en route, alternate, and destination for flights conducted under IFR in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) to include expected climate and hazardous conditions such as:
      • IR.I.B.K3a:
        Atmospheric composition and stability
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3b:
        Wind (e.g. crosswind, tailwind, wind shear, etc.)
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3c:
        Temperature
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3d:
        Moisture/precipitation
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3e:
        Weather system formation, including air masses and fronts
      • IR.I.B.K3f:
        Clouds
      • IR.I.B.K3g:
        Turbulence
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3h:
        Thunderstorms and microbursts
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3i:
        Icing and freezing level information
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.K3j:
        Fog
      • IR.I.B.K3k:
        Frost
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.B.K4:
      Flight deck displays of digital weather and aeronautical information
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan

    Risk Management:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks, encompassing:
    • IR.I.B.R1:
      Factors involved in making a valid go/no-go decision, to include:
      • IR.I.B.R1a:
        Circumstances that would make diversion prudent
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.R1b:
        Hazardous weather conditions to include known or forecast icing
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.R1c:
        Personal weather minimums
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.B.R2:
      Limitations of:
      • IR.I.B.R2a:
        Onboard weather equipment
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.R2b:
        Aviation weather reports and forecasts
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.B.R2c:
        Inflight weather resources
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan

    Skills:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to:
    • IR.I.B.S1:
      Use available aviation weather resources to obtain an adequate weather briefing
    • IR.I.B.S2:
      Discuss the implications of at least three of the conditions listed in K3a through K3k above, using actual weather or weather conditions in a scenario provided by the evaluator
    • IR.I.B.S3:
      Correlate weather information to make a competent go/no-go decision
    • IR.I.B.S4:
      Determine whether an alternate airport is required, and, if required, whether the selected alternate airport meets regulatory requirements

  • Cross-Country Flight Planning:

    • Applicants must satisfy the requirements of Section I, Task C by exhibiting satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with planning an IFR cross-country and filing an IFR flight plan

    Knowledge:

    The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of:
    • IR.I.C.K1:
      Route planning, including consideration of special use airspace, preferred routes, and alternate airports
    • IR.I.C.K2:
      Altitude selection accounting for terrain and obstacles, glide distance of aircraft, IFR cruising altitudes, effect of wind, and oxygen requirements
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.K3 Calculating:
      • IR.I.C.K3a:
        Time, climb and descent rates, course, distance, heading, true airspeed, and groundspeed
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.C.K3b:
        Estimated time of arrival to include conversion to universal coordinated time (UTC)
        • Information
        • Lesson Plan
      • IR.I.C.K3c:
        Fuel requirements, to include reserve
    • IR.I.C.K4:
      Elements of an IFR flight plan
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.K5:
      Procedures for activating and closing an IFR flight plan in controlled and non-controlled airspace
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan

    Risk Management:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks, encompassing:
    • IR.I.C.R1:
      Pilot
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R2:
      Aircraft
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R3:
      Environment (e.g., weather, airports, airspace, terrain, obstacles)
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R4:
      External pressures
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R5:
      Limitations of air traffic control (ATC) services
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R6:
      Limitations of electronic planning applications and programs
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan
    • IR.I.C.R7:
      Improper fuel planning
      • Information
      • Lesson Plan

    Skills:

    The applicant demonstrates the ability to:
    • IR.I.C.S1:
      Prepare, present and explain a cross-country flight plan assigned by the evaluator including a risk analysis based on real time weather which includes calculating time en route and fuel considering factors such as power settings, operating altitude, wind, fuel reserve requirements, and weight and balance requirements
    • IR.I.C.S2:
      Recalculate fuel reserves based on a scenario provided by the evaluator
    • IR.I.C.S3:
      Create a navigation log and simulate filing an IFR flight plan
    • IR.I.C.S4:
      Interpret departure, arrival, en route, and approach procedures with reference to appropriate and current charts
    • IR.I.C.S5:
      Recognize simulated wing contamination due to airframe icing and demonstrate knowledge of the adverse effects of airframe icing during pre-takeoff, takeoff, cruise, and landing phases of flight as well as the corrective actions
    • IR.I.C.S6:
      Apply pertinent information from appropriate and current aeronautical charts, chart supplements; NOTAMs relative to airport, runway and taxiway closures; and other flight publications

Conclusion:

  • To learn more about earning your instrument rating, visit the checkride page

References:

  • 14 CFR parts 61, 91
  • AC 00-6
  • AC 00-45
  • FAA (FAA-H-8083-2) Risk Management Handbook
  • FAA (FAA-H-8083-25) Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
  • Aeronautical Information Manual