Icing: Awareness, Avoidance, and the IFR Pilot’s Escape Plan

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Icing isn’t subtle—and it isn’t forgiving. In this IFR Focus article, veteran CFII and safety advocate Parvez Dara explains how aircraft icing forms, why it remains one of the most dangerous threats to IFR pilots, and how quickly conditions can deteriorate in the wrong temperature band. Drawing on decades of experience, he walks through real-world encounters with rime and clear ice and outlines practical escape strategies.

A New Year, a Sharper Focus: Practical Strategies for Maintaining Instrument Proficiency

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January is a natural reset point for pilots. Logbooks flip to a new page and many of us quietly resolve to be better in the cockpit this year. For instrument pilots, that resolution often comes down to one word: proficiency.

Choosing the Best IFR Route — Advanced IFR, by PilotWorkshops

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Follow along on this scenario-based IFR route selection exercise as we plan a flight from Oceana, CA (L52) to Monterey, CA (KMRY) using ForeFlight Route Advisor.

Ask the IFR Expert: How Should I Adjust My Personal Minimums for Winter IFR Flying

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Most pilots think of personal minimums as static numbers, but winter is a reminder that they should be dynamic. Rather than simply raising ceilings and visibility across the board, start by identifying the risks winter uniquely adds—and then build buffers around them.

Instrument Maneuver Spotlight: Circling Approach Procedure

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Few instrument maneuvers require a smoother transition from procedures to judgment than the circling approach. In this spotlight, we’ll break down how to fly a circling approach safely and within standards—maintaining the correct circling altitude, managing wind and aircraft positioning, staying within protected airspace, and knowing exactly when it’s appropriate to leave MDA and descend for landing.

Practical IFR: Departure Alternates

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A departure alternate is an airport and approach you’ll fly if trouble finds you seconds after you enter the clouds. These are required for many commercial operations if the conditions make an IFR return to the departure airport unlikely or impossible. They’re not required for GA, but you should consider making them part of your standard IFR planning.

Quiz: IFR Weather Challenge

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Strong IFR flying starts with strong weather awareness. Take the quiz to see how you stack up.

Fronts, Freezing Levels, and Staying Out of Trouble This Winter

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Winter flying brings a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to icing. In this article, we break down why warm, occluded, and cold fronts each create their own hazards, how to recognize the early signs of trouble, and how tools like Prog Charts in ForeFlight can help you anticipate weather systems long before they hit your route.

Video Tip: Understanding Ice Protection Systems

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In this IFR Focus video tip, we break down the major types of ice protection found on general aviation aircraft—from classic pneumatic boots to thermal systems and weeping wings—and explain the critical distinction between anti-ice and deice. Just as important, we look at what it actually means for an airplane to be approved for flight in known icing conditions.

Winter IFR: Practical Strategies for Cold-Weather Flying

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Winter brings some of the most challenging — and rewarding — IFR flying of the year. Cold, dense air offers excellent aircraft performance and crisp climb rates, and many days feature crystal-clear ceilings above a thin cloud layer. But the season also introduces hazards that demand a more disciplined approach: icing, contaminated runways, sluggish engines, and unpredictable low-level weather.