Sim Challenge: Trusting the Wrong Glidepath

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In this month's challenge, you'll discover the difference between approved vertical guidance and advisory vertical guidance—and what can happen if you follow advisory vertical guidance below MDA.

Quiz: IFR Procedures & Workload Management

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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

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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

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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.

New Resource Helps Demystify the Instrument Checkride—and the IPC

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The ACS clearly define what applicants must know and demonstrate, but they often leave students wondering how those standards are actually evaluated. To help bridge that gap, PilotWorkshops has introduced Checkride Insights: Instrument Rating, a new training resource that adds practical context and examiner perspectives directly alongside the ACS.

Video Tip: CAPERS—The Modern IFR Fix-Crossing Check

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CAPERS is a modern framework that helps you stay ahead of the airplane by reviewing the most important elements of the flight whenever you're crossing a fix, receiving a new clearance, or transitioning to a new phase of flight.

The Missed Approach Was the Easy Part

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The missed approach was routine. What happened next wasn't. A real-world diversion during a rainy Memorial Day weekend arrival highlights how workload, weather, and multiple acceptable options can quickly challenge even experienced IFR pilots.

Ask the IFR Expert: How much should I trust the forecast?

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IFR cross-country planning depends heavily on weather forecasts, but any instrument pilot knows they’re not perfect. So how much weight should you really put on a forecast when deciding whether to launch, delay, or reroute a flight?

Keep your IFR skills sharp with real-world monthly Mastery scenarios

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Instrument flying proficiency isn’t built from memorizing procedures alone—it comes from regularly exercising your judgment in realistic situations. That’s exactly the goal behind IFR Mastery from PilotWorkshops, now available inside the Sporty’s Pilot Training app.

Practical IFR: Mix and Match

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As an aviation writer, I’m always on the prowl for interesting approach charts (so if you have a favorite, drop me a line). One that recently appeared in my email was the ILS or LOC Rwy 27 at Williamsport, Pennsylvania (KIPT). The striking curiosity was plan view note, “RNAV 1-GPS or RADAR AND DME REQUIRED.” The investigation yielded a longer explanation than I expected. Too bad I don’t get paid by the word.