Practical IFR: “Cleared to Intercept?” A Common IFR Dilemma
You haven’t been cleared for the approach, but the needle is alive and time is short. Learn how to handle this tricky IFR moment without risking a violation—or a missed approach.
June 17, 2025/by Jeff Van WestTest Your Knowledge with This IFR Acronyms Quiz
Can you define all these IFR aviation acronyms?
June 13, 2025/by Chris Clarke8 IFR SOPs That Could Save Your Life
Do you fly with SOPs? Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are commonly used in the corporate and airline flying world as a way of formalizing the do's and don'ts of a flight department and making sure every pilot follows the same procedures. I'm generally suspicious of SOPs in life, because they limit your ability to be flexible and react creatively to life's inevitable changes (we all like our freedom). But when it comes to IFR flying, I believe SOPs are a critical safety tool.
June 10, 2025/by John ZimmermanVideo Tip: Filing an IFR Flight Plan? Here’s What Matters Most to ATC
Most of the information filed in an IFR flight plan is based on weather forecasts that are released well before your wheels ever leave the ground. Here's a look at what parts of the flight plan actually matter to ATC so that you know how to react if and when the weather conditions don't match the forecast.
June 6, 2025/by IFR Focus TeamWelcome to IFR Focus: Sharpen Your Skills, Master the System
IFR Focus is a new destination dedicated entirely to the art and science of flying in the system. Whether you’re an experienced IFR pilot looking to stay sharp or a student climbing toward that checkride, you’ll find practical content here to help you fly safer, smoother, and smarter.
May 30, 2025/by Eric RadtkeHow to set up aircraft equipment codes in aviation apps to file IFR flight plans
Filing a VFR or IFR flight plan today is a breeze when using an aviation app like ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot, since the File function is integrated right into both apps' standard flight planning features. The one area related to this, which can be slightly confusing though, is entering all the correct aircraft equipment codes when you go to file.
May 16, 2025/by Bret KoebbeSporty’s Instrument Rating Course: New AI Tools & 2025 Course Updates
Sporty’s Instrument Rating Course available in the Pilot Training app has helped tens of thousands of pilots earn their rating. The platform has grown considerably since it first launched and is known for its fast pace of innovation, bringing new content, new training tools, and technological enhancements every year.
May 16, 2025/by Eric RadtkeBrowse our Free Scholarship Directory
Sporty's Academy, our on-site flight school, is a premier Pilot Training Center located at the Clermont County Airport in the eastern suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio. We welcome students from all over the world who are looking for the finest instrument training experience.
May 16, 2025/by IFR Focus TeamPractical IFR: Practice Approaches
The two best things you can do are making practice a habit and upping the stakes. The first part is pretty simple: Set a recurring day, say the second Saturday of each month, when you and a friend or two go bore holes in the IFR system for practice. Three people are better because two get to watch while one flies, and there’s still a party if one of the gang must take a day off.
May 16, 2025/by Jeff Van WestAsk a CFI: What to Do If You Lose Comms While IFR
Losing communications in IMC is a rare but serious scenario that every instrument pilot should be prepared for. Fortunately, the FAA provides clear guidance in AIM 6-4-1 and §91.185, but interpreting and applying that information on the flight deck—especially under stress—can be confusing. In this installment of Ask a CFI, we’ll break it down and offer some practical tips along the way.
May 14, 2025/by Eric Radtke