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IFR FLIGHT PLANNING / MISSION 14

IFR Alternate Airport Trainer

PART 91 AIRPLANES · FILE? · QUALIFY? · MINIMUMS?

GUIDED ALTERNATE PLANNER

Follow the filing decision from start to finish

Choose an answer to reveal only the next decision that applies.
1 DESTINATION2 FILE?3 ALTERNATE4 QUALIFY

DESTINATION CHECK

ADVANCED: GPS / WAAS ALTERNATE PLANNING

After the core filing and eligibility decisions, verify what your installed and approved navigation equipment permits. Review current NOTAMs, receiver guidance, approach availability, and FAA guidance.

  • WAAS users planning a GPS approach at an alternate generally plan using authorized LNAV or circling minima unless properly equipped and authorized for other minima.
  • Non-WAAS GPS equipment can introduce destination-versus-alternate limitations and RAIM/FDE requirements.
  • An NA restriction, unavailable weather reporting, equipment limitation, or unavailable procedure can disqualify the proposed alternate.

PILOT QUICK REVIEW

Two decisions, kept separate

DESTINATION

Use the 1-2-3 rule to decide whether an alternate must be listed.

ALTERNATE

Then verify the candidate airport, approach availability, equipment, NOTAMs, and forecast alternate minimums.

GOOD JUDGMENT

An alternate can be wise even when §91.169 does not require one—especially near terrain or widespread low weather.

SCOPE: Part 91 airplanes. This trainer is educational and does not replace current regulations, charts, NOTAMs, avionics guidance, or aircraft procedures.

FREE IFR ALTERNATE AIRPORT PRACTICE

Learn the IFR alternate 1-2-3 rule through scenarios

Practice deciding when a Part 91 airplane must list an alternate airport, whether a candidate airport is authorized, and which forecast alternate minimums apply. The guided decision path teaches the complete filing and qualification flow one relevant question at a time.

When must you file?

Evaluate the destination forecast from one hour before through one hour after ETA.

Does the airport qualify?

Check approaches, published alternate restrictions, weather reporting, equipment, and NOTAMs.

Which minimums apply?

Distinguish standard 600-2 and 800-2 planning minimums from published nonstandard requirements.