Masonry Blog : IFR Focus

IFR Challenge: Anticipation Near Anaheim—Enter for a Chance to Win a $1,000 Sporty’s Gift Card

In this sample IFR Mastery scenario, you're in the cockpit of a pilot flying a Trinidad on a short IFR trip in Southern California. Cleared on a TEC route, the departure includes a turn to the PDZ VOR—but stronger winds increase groundspeed and trigger early GPS turn anticipation. With the airplane ready to turn before the fix and no contact with ATC, you’re forced to make a quick decision.

April 16, 2026/by Pilot Workshops

Practial IFR: Have a Speed-to-Fly for Emergencies in IMC

One refinement that rarely gets taught is adjusting best glide speed (Vbg) for changes in weight and wind. In a glider, if you’re heading back to the airport with a headwind, you can’t just open the throttle to make up for lost groundspeed. Instead, you pitch down to speed up. A lot. In fact, you might add 20 knots to your best glide (L/Dmax) speed to counter a 20-knot headwind.

April 14, 2026/by Jeff Van West

Quiz: IFR Emergencies

This quiz explores key concepts around IFR emergencies, from deviations and communication failures to fuel status and how situations are classified. Some of these questions are straightforward, while others highlight the nuance in how regulations are applied in real-world scenarios. See how well you understand the procedures that keep pilots safe when the unexpected happens.

April 10, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

The IFR Emergency You Didn’t Train For

When most pilots think about IFR emergencies, the mind immediately jumps to the big ones: engine failures, engine fires, pressurization issues—high-consequence events that dominate simulator sessions and recurrent training. We rehearse these scenarios repeatedly, building muscle memory and confidence that if something catastrophic happens, we’ll respond correctly. But in the real world, not every emergency announces itself with sirens and smoke.

April 7, 2026/by James Onieal

Video Tip: Required IFR Reports

Even in an era of advanced avionics and near-constant radar coverage, IFR flying still depends on clear, timely communication with ATC. Some reports are expected as part of the normal flow of a flight, but others are specifically required. In this video tip, we’ll break down the key IFR reports every pilot needs to know, including when to speak up, what to say, and how these calls help keep the system running safely and efficiently.

April 3, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

Why Advisory Glideslope +V Can Get You in Trouble

On WAAS-equipped GPS units, many non-precision approaches (like LNAV or LP) will display LNAV+V or LP+V. That “+V” indicates advisory vertical guidance—an internally generated glidepath from the final approach fix (FAF) to the runway. It’s designed to help you fly a continuous descent final approach—a safer, more stabilized alternative to the old “dive and drive” technique. That’s the good news.

March 31, 2026/by Eric Radtke

Try These New FAA Questions

How well do you really know your instrument flying procedures? Here are 5 of the newest FAA-style questions, recently added to Sporty’s comprehensive online Instrument Rating Course. They’re designed to make you think like an IFR pilot—whether you’re prepping for a rating or just keeping your skills sharp.

March 25, 2026/by Eric Radtke

Instrument Maneuver Spotlight: Intercepting and Tracking VOR Radials

Whether you’re joining an airway, flying direct, or correcting for wind en route to the next fix, this maneuver is at the core of traditional IFR navigation. In this spotlight, we’ll break down how to properly tune and identify the VOR, set the desired radial, choose an appropriate intercept angle, and smoothly transition to accurate tracking

March 20, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

Practical IFR: Behold the Power of Uninterrupted Descents

“Descend and maintain” is such a staple of IFR communications…

March 17, 2026/by Jeff Van West

Quiz: IFR Navigation

Modern IFR flying relies heavily on GPS, but that doesn’t mean the fundamentals of IFR navigation have gone away. Between NOTAMs about GPS interference, legacy ground-based navaids, and the occasional ATC instruction that references victor airways or VOR radials, instrument pilots still need a solid understanding of how the entire navigation system works.

March 13, 2026/by IFR Focus Team