Flight Training Central

JANUARY 10, 2025

Descent planning is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of managing your flight. And if not planned properly, a poorly executed descent can present challenges and unnecessary risks when transitioning to an approach or the traffic pattern. Finally, you can enable messages to alert you as to when to begin the descent.

Descent 98

Descent Groundspeed Flight Plan AGL 98

iPad Pilot News

MARCH 11, 2025

These alerts include runway proximity, traffic, cabin altitude, destination weather, terrain, airspace and TFRs, carbon monoxide and more. The alert will only sound once every 60 seconds and is automatically disabled if groundspeed is less than 40 knots. AGL (or when AGL is unknown), the descent rate exceeds 4,000 ft.

AGL 52

AGL Runway Groundspeed Descent 52

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

FAA weather charts can help for higher altitudes but when just a few thousand feet agl, they may be less useful. Great Falls weather is fair and warm. Flight idle and nose down, which normally produced a 2,000-3,000-feet descent rate, resulted in a 2,000-feet-per-minute climb. Lessons learned, some forgotten. What had I missed?

Turbulence 95

Turbulence Weather Knot Descent 95

Air Facts

MAY 10, 2024

ICAO minima for circling approaches is much higher than that stipulated in the FARs so consider higher weather minima. We also benefit from the latest weather updates. Perhaps just prior to the start of descent could be the optimum time–certainly completed no later than commencement of approach. What is the runway lighting?

Approach 97

Approach AGL Descent Runway 97

Air Facts

DECEMBER 30, 2024

This came after a week of weather delay with some of the thickest fog I had ever seen blanketed Vancouver Island. I checked THE weather and made plans for the next leg. After conversing with the weather briefer, I was confident that the weather would be clear at my planned destination of that leg in Winnemucca, Nevada.

Weather 98

Weather Approach VFR On Top Knot 98

iPad Pilot News

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

We’ve been flying with the Apple Watch since it first launched, and it’s become increasingly useful every year for both preflight weather checks and as an in-cockpit resource. When on the go, you can use the GPS feature to find the nearest weather station image.

Pilot 52

Pilot Altimeter Weather NOTAMs 52

Professional Pilot

DECEMBER 10, 2024

After 11 hours of flight during our descent to initiate an approach, the airport closed for Category I (CAT I) approaches due to weather. First of all, proper fuel, route and weather planning are key. All of my diversions were weather-related, mostly to thunderstorms. Santos Walter ATP/CFII/Helo. Jeff Jones ATP.

Weather 98

Weather Approach Descent Runway 98