The following are interpretations of Federal Aviation Regulations and should NOT be used as a replacement to reading the official federal regulations.

Instrument Rating Requirements (FAR 61.65)

Recent Flight Experience: Pilot in Command for Instrument (FAR 61.57)

• In the last 6 calendar months you have logged (actual or simulated):

  • 6 instrument approaches

  • Holding procedures

  • Intercept & Track courses through the use of electronic navigation System

• If 6 months has passed, you can do you 6 HITS with a safety pilot under simulated conditions

• If 6 HITS isn’t logged within 12 cal months, you will need an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)

Preflight Actions for IFR (FAR 91.103)

Before you fly, you should make sure to become familiar with all information available that pertains to the flight. These things should include but are not limited to the following:

1. Weather Reports and Forecasts during the time of flight

2. Fuel Requirements for the flight

3. Any Alternate Airports available incase the flight can not be completed

4. Known Traffic Delays

5. Runway Lengths at the airports you intend to land at

6. The Takeoff and Landing Performance information that pertains to your flight at each airport

7. Other airport information available for the airports you intend to land

Minimum Safe Altitudes: General (FAR 91.119)

This regulation defines different altitudes for different scenarios that are considered safe. The minimum safe altitudes are for flight with exceptions to taking off and landing.

1. You must fly at an altitude that will allow

Descent Below Minimums (FAR 91.175c)

You should not fly below your DA/MDA unless you have the following things:

1. You must be able to make a continuous descent to land on the intended runway with a normal rate of descent, using normal maneuvers.

   Basically you can’t chop and drop to create a super steep descent. That could make the plane unstable and cause more hazards. Sometimes on a non-precision approach, the MAP puts you in a position to make a possibly steep descent to land. The VDP helps find a point where you should start your decision to go around.

2. You should have atlas the minimum visibility that is prescribed on the approach plate for the approach you are flying.

3. You will need to see and identify at least one of the following runway environment visual references for the intended runway:

   1. The Threshold

   2. The Threshold Markings

   3. The Threshold Lights

   4. The Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL)

   5. The Visual Glideslope Indicator

   6. The Touchdown Zone or Touchdown Zone Markings

   7. The Touchdown Zone Lights

   8. The Runway or Runway Markings

   9. The Runway Lights

   10. The Approach Lighting System (ALS)

       The ALS works a bit different. The ALS allows you to descent below your DA/MDA, however you can only descend down to 100ft above the touchdown zone elevation, unless you see the red terminating bars. If you look at Image 1, you can see all the approach lighting systems. Notice that only ALSF-1 and ALSF-2 have red terminating bars. You you are shooting an approach and the runway has either of these ALSs, you can continue below 100ft above touchdown zone elevation as long as you see those red terminating bars.

If you do than have all 3 of those requirements, you should make the decision to go missed because you can not continue to descend below DA/MDA.