Air Facts

AUGUST 5, 2024

Next you look at NOTAM’s once again and notice that Runways 8R and 26L are closed. And a quick check of the ATIS on your trusty Sporty’s handheld VHF radio reveals that Runways 35 is currently in use. Can I safely land or depart given the density altitude and runway length? Let’s just have a look at those takeoff minimums.

Density Altitude 98

Density Altitude Ceiling Runway Weather 98

Air Facts

MAY 10, 2024

An acceptable meteorological combination of ceiling, visibility, and wind. If you depart MDA on the downwind or base leg, you’re on your own as far as obstacle clearance. What is the runway lighting? Only accurate within 10 degrees of runway heading). Be fully configured and on speed prior to receiving landing clearance.

Approach 97

Approach AGL Descent Runway 97

Professional Pilot

AUGUST 8, 2024

According to the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), a stable approach is defined as one in which the pilot establishes and maintains a constant angle glidepath toward a predetermined point on the landing runway. The ceiling is 800 ft overcast. Today it was 5 kts over, but tomorrow it may be 15 or 20.

Approach 105

Approach Descent Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) Runway 105

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

While instructors idly watch, airplanes go off the runway, landings become too harsh, structure gets overstressed, and tolerances are exceeded. No flying in winds exceeding 10 knots, no chance of obscuring precipitation, no use of runways shorter than 5,000 feet, no risk of encountering darkness or lowering ceilings.

Runway 52

Runway Wind Shear Crosswind Airplanes 52

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 2, 2024

While instructors idly watch, airplanes go off the runway, landings become too harsh, structure gets overstressed, and tolerances are exceeded. No flying in winds exceeding 10 knots, no chance of obscuring precipitation, no use of runways shorter than 5,000 feet, no risk of encountering darkness or lowering ceilings.

Runway 52

Runway Wind Shear Crosswind Airplanes 52

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

KCPC was reporting IFR conditions with a 700’ ceiling and one mile visibility. I queried ATC about when to expect the approach clearance and was informed that the Saratoga had appeared to land but the pilot hadn’t contacted ATC to close his IFR flight plan. Tuning in the AWOS, I heard an unpleasant surprise. The little voice agreed.

Descent 98

Descent Approach Weather AGL 98

Flying Magazine

MAY 15, 2024

If utilizing Runway 17 with left traffic, the crosswind turn will be heading 080, downwind 350, base 260, etc. Don’t accept the excuses of “I can’t fly if I can’t see the runway,” or “I can’t feel the airplane.” VFR to MVFR…then 2 miles visibility and a ceiling of 1,200 feet agl. It’s an ATD. What could go wrong?

Crosswind 105

Crosswind Airplanes VOR Runway 105

Photographic Logbook

JULY 9, 2024

Exactly like NYC, downtown Boston is encircled by restrictive Class Bravo airspace down to the surface that requires explicit clearance to enter. Boston Skyways -- a Boston Logan Tower frequency dedicated to city tour traffic -- will set restrictions for pilots based on which runways are in active use at Logan. I was a little nervous.

Clearance 52

Clearance Runway Approach Stability 52

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

This rating should end any temptation to “scud run” around TV towers or under a low ceiling and eliminate the dreaded VFR-into-IMC trap. One more thing: Just because you have earned an instrument rating, there is no requirement to go out and fly in low ceilings and visibilities. The ATC service is better.

Pilot 70

Pilot Ceiling Clearance Pilot in Command 70

Photographic Logbook

APRIL 19, 2024

I expected to manage some cloud layers during the New York portion of the flight, but the forecast called for a high ceiling at Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Phantom City Initially, I believed that the original forecast claiming high ceilings around Philadelphia would come to pass. Runway and raindrops. Famous last words.)

Approach 97

Approach Wind Shear Runway VOR 97

Plane and Pilot

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

While the temptation to find cheaper gas at an uncontrolled field loomed large, the extra services provided by the approach control, clearance delivery, and a busier FBO seemed to make more sense. Bowman Field, where I had stopped on the way north, had a great FBO, 1,000-foot ceilings, radar, and a tower. It was time to divert.

Weather 75

Weather Clearance Pilot Airplanes 75

Air Facts

OCTOBER 30, 2024

The flying club’s Cessnas and Pipers stood out like a flock of scrawny pigeons as the eagles of Pan Am, TWA, British Airways, and the like lumbered by on their way to and from the runways. After startup, I’d record a VOR check in the aircraft log while waiting for our clearance. Then came the long taxi to the runway.

NDB 52

NDB Checkride VOR Approach 52

ABEAM

AUGUST 26, 2023

So that’s what we did … They conveniently gave us runway 06, and off we were, carefully noting our fuel situation as a general repetition of things to come. IFR clearance was direct to DEVBI while we knew we could pick up our oceanic clearance (my first ever !) Westbound !! Towards Oshkosh !!! So perfect weather.

Weather 52

Weather Clearance Knot Airplanes 52

Gary's Flight Journal

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

I called the clearance delivery number on the OXB NOTAM but they gave me another number to call. I could not get my Bluetooth headset to connect so the I tucked the iPhone up under my ear seal and picked up my clearance and release. I decided to depart VFR and pick up my clearance in the air if I needed it. It’s good to be home!

Weather 52

Weather Clearance VOR Approach 52

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

MARCH 28, 2024

While taxing to the runway, it started raining and off we went! Once we reached the runway, it started pouring. At this point, it was slightly turbulence as we flew through some low ceiling clouds. Below) We were on final approach to runway 27L. inches wide with a legroom space of 32 inches and can recline up to 8.4

Weather 52

Weather Turbulence Runway Narrow-Body Aircraft 52

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 11, 2024

Off Sodus, I briefly leveled at 2,500 feet to remain visual until I received my instrument clearance from Rochester Approach. Fortunately, the clearance was a simple one that morning because I was absurdly tongue tied while talking to Rochester. Moments before turning final for runway 21 at Put-In-Bay. This airport is a mere 1.4

Runway 98

Runway Approach Knot Drag 98

Photographic Logbook

FEBRUARY 4, 2024

More often than not, winter flying in Upstate New York is contingent on the ceiling. Ceilings are often too low to fly beneath and slowly climbing through a cloud layer of indeterminate thickness in sub-freezing temperatures risks icing. However, a persistent low ceiling scuttled those morning plans.

Ceiling 52

Ceiling Approach Pilot Weather 52

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 13, 2023

While I anticipated an IFR departure that morning, I wanted to see ceiling and visibility of at least 300 feet and a mile to avoid smacking into mountainous terrain around Pickens County Airport during take-off. The direct route from our departure runway (34) to IPECA would also help manage terrain.

Approach 52

Approach Ceiling Runway Clearance 52

Photographic Logbook

OCTOBER 28, 2023

Once the rain relented, we staggered our departures and called for our IFR clearances on the ground. Despite those ground clearances, we found that the ceiling above our home airport was high enough to accommodate VFR departures with airborne clearances. Final, runway 34, photographed from Two Six Romeo.

Clearance 52

Clearance Knot Instrument Meteorological Conditions Airplanes 52

Photographic Logbook

AUGUST 20, 2023

The sun was setting as I sped down Oakland County International's runway 27L and took to a sky suffused with a ruddy evening glow. hours, the 4,000 foot ceiling over the Williamson Sodus Airport was high enough that no instrument procedures were needed that night.

Runway 52

Runway Airplanes Approach Final Approach 52

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 26, 2024

Upon completing his mission, Kidder requested a clearance to land over the radio, and received a vector heading and told by the controller he was only 15 miles from the base. The weather along the flight path was poor, described by Pruett as consisting of “…low clouds and heavy fog, a ceiling of only a couple hundred feet.”

Weather 124

Weather Tail Drag Ceiling 124

Charles Ryan's Flying Adventure

JULY 22, 2024

The airport mayhave 2 runways (runway 14/32 and runway 09/27) but only one runway is in operation (09/27) and if this runway is in maintenance, the other runway will be in used. Departure Hall (Landside) The design of the ceiling caught my attention. I can imagine how nice it is at night.

Cabin Crew 59

Cabin Crew Runway Weather Airlines 59