New IFR Mastery: No Easy Way North

What would you do if weather, darkness, and geography left you with several imperfect choices for an IFR flight?

That’s the dilemma in this month’s IFR Mastery scenario from PilotWorkshops. You’re flying your Cirrus from Buffalo to Iron Mountain, Michigan and the easy route is anything but easy.

The shortest IFR option takes you north across Michigan and then over Lake Michigan, including about 50 miles of overwater IMC. The alternative around Chicago adds nearly 100 miles and pushes your arrival toward sunset. You could also try filing directly through Chicago’s Class B, or fly VFR along the Chicago shoreline and pick up an IFR clearance farther north.

Each option has its own set of risks, complications, and unknowns.

Which route would you choose?

Watch the scenario below and make your decision.

It’s more than picking the shortest route

Instrument flying often means choosing between imperfect options. Weather, terrain, airspace, daylight, fuel, and workload can all change the risk profile and sometimes the route that looks best on paper isn’t the one that makes the most sense in the air.

That’s the decision-making skills that IFR Mastery is designed to develop. Each month, PilotWorkshops presents a new real-world IFR scenario that puts you in the pilot’s seat. You’ll evaluate the situation, make your decision, and then compare your thinking with experienced instructors as they explain the factors that influenced their choices.

Think you’ve made the right call?

Watch the free scenario briefing above, then sign in or start a free 30-day trial to access the complete scenario, instructor analysis, and the complete library of nearly 200 IFR scenarios.

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Eric Radtke

It was his first airplane trip at age seven that made Eric decide to become a pilot. "While boarding the airplane, a flight attendant noticed my interest in the flight deck and urged me to go talk to the pilot. I give a lot of credit to that pilot for my career choice." Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and went on to an airline career. He learned to fly at Sporty’s as part of the University of Cincinnati’s Professional Pilot Program, an initiative he later directed.Eric now manages Sporty’s media network including IFRFocus.com. In addition, Eric serves as a Captain in a Cincinnati-based corporate flight department.

Latest posts by Eric Radtke (see all)

• New IFR Mastery: No Easy Way North - October 9, 2026
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• New IFR Mastery Scenario:The End Is Niagara? - September 4, 2026