Practical tips, scenarios, and tools for IFR pilots : IFR Focus

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Free Webinar: Understanding Vertical Guidance on IFR Approaches with Bruce Williams

July 3, 2026

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Join instructor instructor and IFR Focus contributing author Bruce Williams for a free live webinar on Thursday, July 9, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, as he explains the three primary types of vertical guidance used on today's IFR approaches.

The Checkride Was the Easy Part: Moving Beyond Certification to Operational Mastery

June 30, 2026

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A checkride demonstrates proficiency under evaluation standards. Real-world flying requires pilots to apply those same skills while managing changing weather, passenger expectations, operational pressures, unfamiliar airports, and evolving ATC clearances. This boundary between demonstrated proficiency and operational proficiency is where some of aviation's most valuable learning occurs.

What Lies Beneath the MDA

June 25, 2026

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Continuous descent final approaches have been a staple in professional flying for a long time. They have proven safer and easier to manage than the old-fashioned, dive-and-drive method of flying a non-precision approach. This technique manifests in general aviation avionics as the +V advisory glidepaths for non-precision approaches.

Quiz: IFR Procedures & Workload Management

June 19, 2026

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This month’s quiz focuses on the intersection of IFR knowledge and flight deck workload. From abbreviated clearances and departure procedures to in-flight weather requests and urgency communications, each question reflects situations where understanding the regulation is only part of the challenge. The real test is how quickly and accurately you can interpret, respond, and prioritize when ATC adds another layer to an already busy cockpit.

Practical IFR: Visual Approaches

June 16, 2026

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One of the great ironies of IFR flying is that once you have the right to fly through the clouds, you take almost every opportunity to stay out of them. It’s simpler, faster, and arguably safer (at least at the GA level) to shortcut full procedures with visual ones. The go-to “instrument approach” for keeping the mail moving is: “Cleared for the visual.”

Managing IFR Workload and Flight Deck Discipline: Staying Ahead of the Airplane

June 12, 2026

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Professional pilots don't simply react to events—they anticipate them. Learn how effective preparation, consistent cockpit flows, and disciplined decision-making can help you manage IFR workload with confidence.

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