The Flight Plan

A. Dialogue

 

Instructor: Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor:

What's the first step of an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight? A flight plan must be prepared. Then it's delivered to the controlling agency. That's right. The flight plan includes the flight's destination, route, altitude, time of departure, en-route flight time, and alternate airport. What factors should be considered in the planning of a flight? Once you've determined your destination, you consider the capabilities of your aircraft and its equipment, and, of course, the weather is an important factor. What type of map is used to prepare a flight plan? A radio facility chart. Airways and their connecting radio navigational facilities, minimum en-route altitudes above mean sea level (MSL), and very high frequency (VHF) communications are recorded on this chart. How is time expressed? We use Greenwich mean time. Airspeed is measured in knots. Is the flight plan written on a special form? Yes, and then it's filed in person at a flight service station (FSS). Must it be filed in person? No. Often flight plans are filed by telephone or aircraft radio. You may begin a flight using visual flight rules (VFR) and decide an IFR flight plan is required. Your flight plan would have to be updated from the air. Is it the pilot's responsibility to file the flight plan? Not always. Often an airline uses a computer to calculate a flight plan. Then it's filed by telephone, without the pilot's input. The pilot reviews the flight plan and makes any necessary changes. Will the flight plan always be accepted as originally planned? The controlling agency will attempt to issue an ATC clearance as close to the original flight plan as possible. You mentioned VFR. Is a flight plan necessary for a VFR flight? Not in the United States. However, some countries have regulations that require VFR flight plans to be coordinated with ATC.

 

 

B. Terminology Practice

 

airspeed:the speed of an aircraft relative to the air through which it is moving

The airspeed was 200 knots.

Airspeed corrected for altitude and temperature is called true airspeed.

What's this plane's airspeed?

alternate airport:an airport, designated in the flight plan, to which an aircraft proceeds when it is unable to land at the originally designated airport

Our destination was fogged in, so we proceeded to our alternate airport.

Is it necessary to file an alternate airport?

An airport chosen as an alternate airport must have certain minimum weather conditions.

clearance:authorization for an aircraft to proceed

An IFR flight requires an ATC clearance.

Does an aircraft need an ATC clearance in order to land?

We've been issued clearance to land.

file:to submit a flight plan

File the flight plan one hour before departure.

When did you file your IFR flight plan?

Contact the FSS to file your flight plan.

flight plan:specified information relating to an intended flight

Can I file a flight plan over the telephone?

Fly the heading indicated in the flight plan.

A flight plan can be filed for either IFR or VFR flights.

flight service station (FSS):an ATC facility that provides flight assistance services

Contact the FSS for New York weather information.

Do all airports have an FSS?

You can file the flight plan with the FSS.

Greenwich mean time (Z):the mean solar time of the meridian of Greenwich, England, which is used as a basis for standard time throughout the world

Our intended departure time is 2314 Greenwich mean time.

The aircraft passed over Zurich at 0452 Greenwich mean time.

How is Greenwich mean time calculated?

instrument flight rules (IFR):rules that govern a flight that is being navigated using instruments only

In the United States, IFR must be followed when visibility is less than three miles.

A flight plan must be filed for an IFR flight.

Are you rated to fly IFR?

knot:a nautical mile per hour

The airspeed is 250 knots.

Our total flight had an average speed of 362 knots.

Is a knot larger than a statute mile?

mean sea level (MSL):the average height of the surface of the sea

The elevation of the airport is 390 feet above MSL.

Our altitude will be 4,000 meters above MSL.

Is the elevation of that airport 1,500 feet above MSL?

radio facility chart:a chart used for communication and navigation by radio

An IFR flight is planned using a radio facility chart.

A radio facility chart shows airways connecting radio navigational facilities.

Do you keep more than one radio facility chart on board?

very high frequency (VHF):descriptive of radio waves that range from 30 to 300 megacycles, used for navigation and communication

ATC uses VHF radio transmitters.

How many VHF radios does your airplane have?

VHF radio transmitters provide excellent reception.

visual flight rules (VFR):rules controlling a flight that is being navigated using visual references

It is unnecessary to file a flight plan when flying VFR in the United States.

Must an aircraft remain clear of clouds in order to fly VFR?

An aircraft flying VFR can request radio traffic advisories.

 

 

C. Check-Up

 

Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list.

alternate airport clearance flight plan Greenwich mean time knots

IFR mean sea level radio facility chart VFR VHF

 

1. We will need a ___________ to plan our route of flight.

2. Our airspeed was 250 ___________.

3. A ___________ has to be filed before an instrument flight.

4. ___________ are followed when a plane is navigated using instruments only.

5. ___________ radio equipment is used for aircraft communications.

6. The average height of the surface of the sea is known as ___________.

7. ATC issues a ___________ to authorize an aircraft for a particular procedure.

8. If we cannot land at our destination, proceed to the ___________.

9. We don't need a flight plan to fly ___________ in the United States.

10. In aviation, ___________ is used as a standard for time.